- Encouraging Diversity in Data Analytics and What It Means To You feat. Dr. William Southerland
How you get a mortgage, what type of health insurance you qualify for, or what school your child gets into is based on how data statistics are interpreted. But the people behind those numbers matter just as much as the numbers themselves.
In the past five years, the field of data science skyrocketed in the United States from 1,700 jobs in 2016, to more than 10,000 jobs in 2021. But black scientists, scholars, and researchers make up only 3% of the professionals who interpret data and analytics.
Today, we sit down with Dr. William Southerland. He is a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, principal investigator of the HU Research Centers for Minorities Institute's program, as well as the interim director of the new Center of Applied Data Science and Analytics at Howard.
Dr. Southerland and host Frank Tramble chat about the biases we all carry, where data and analytics are used in everyday life, the new Center for Applied Science and Analytics at Howard, and how we can fix all this by changing the demographics of data scientists.
From HU2U is a production of Howard University and is produced by University FM.
Episode Quotes:
The importance of the data awareness
[19:14] Data impacts everyone. People from all disciplines and all backgrounds are impacted by data, but not everyone is aware of that. And if you're not aware of it, then you can't take advantage of it…whether you are aware of it or not. You are a consumer of data, and if you're not aware of it, then the data you consume is being constructed for you by somebody else.
Equipping the community with data science exposure
[17:32] Data science is everywhere. It affects everybody. So we want to be proactive in making sure that we equip the Howard undergraduate community and undergraduate communities, HBCUs around the country, to do some data science exposure.
Data and their inherent biases
[05:24] A lot of the bias that winds up in algorithms they're not necessarily there intentionally. It's almost like an inadvertent inclusion. The way I look at it sometimes is that in order to build algorithms, there are two components of information that goes in. One aspect goes in by active inclusion, and that's the technical specifications. And then the other, inclusion, is based on passive.
Show Links:
- HU Research Centers for Minorities Institute
- Center of Applied Data Science and Analytics at Howard
- Virtual Applied Data Science Training Institute (VADSTI)
Guest Profile:
S1E10 - 22m - Jan 30, 2024 - From Prison Cells to Ph.D. feat. Dr. Stanley Andrisse
As a kid, we all make mistakes. For some reason, the consequences can be life-changing, for better or for worse. For Dr. Stanley Andrisse, his mistakes led him to three felony convictions where he faced a 20-year prison sentence.
It was his father's battle with diabetes and his own intellectual curiosity that took him from one cell to another. The study of human cells. Specifically, endocrinology the study of hormones.
Dr. Stanley Andrisse is an endocrinologist, scientist, and professor at the Howard University College of Medicine. He joins host Frank Tramble today to chat about his incredible life pivot, dealing with grief and human emotion in prison, the power and privilege of being a Black doctor, and education as a form of therapy.
From HU2U Podcast is a production of Howard University and is produced by University FM.
Episode Quotes:
Nurturing compassionate medical leaders
[14:37] We need to understand that at Howard, we should be doing all that we can to educate, train, and support people who have been impacted by the system. So, I'm constantly sharing with my students the idea of, you can't just focus on being a medical doctor because you're too much to the world. You have to understand the history of what happened to us in this country and in the world.
Breaking free from the prison within
[08:28] Although my body was physically locked in this prison cell, my mind was freely roaming around the human cell. And, you know, as you opened up with that, it allowed me to free myself from thinking of me as this career criminal. So that was the beginning of the change.
From incarceration to education
[21:36] The traumas of incarceration lead you to believe that you can't bring value to this world, that you can't bring value to yourself, and that your self-worth is diminished. And education helps repair some of those things and those beliefs. So it was this therapeutic healing thing.
Advice on moving in the right direction
[24:56] Frank Tramble: So for the student who may be listening, or the parent that may be listening of a young individual who may be going down the wrong path and may face, you know, as the tale say of the face of two paths in the woods, what do you want to tell them about what can help inspire them to move in the right direction?
[27:11] Dr. Stanley Andrisse: I would tell them, "It's never too late to do good." I would ask them to understand what that truly means. I would ask them to have patience and compassion. So, although your child may be making poor decisions at this moment, have that faith, that patience, and that belief that they have as human beings. You know, we are not static creatures. We are dynamic, and we are constantly changing.
Show Links:
Guest Profile:
S1E9 - 28m - Jan 16, 2024 - Intersectionality and Belonging on Campus: Working With Howard’s LGBTQ+ Community feat. Jose Cadiz
In America, 1.2 million adults identify as black and LGBTQ+. But for many, discrimination is even harder than their white counterparts for their intersectional identities. Here at Howard University, efforts to support LGBTQ+ students have resulted in the formation of the Intercultural Affairs and LGBTQ+ Resource Center.
But what else can we be doing as a community and a campus to support those who identify as black and queer?
Joining us to discuss this deeper is Jose Cadiz, the Director of Development in Institutional Giving at Howard University.
Jose sits down with host Frank Tramble to discuss why these types of resources are necessary for students as well as staff, offers some guidance on using and learning people’s pronouns, where we could be driving more support on campus, and preparing students to head into the workplace and bring these values with them.
From HU2U is a production of Howard University and is produced by University FM.
Episode Quotes:
On having the important obligation to create a safe space for LGBTQ+ community
[05:01] I think with becoming an HBCU administrator, I had an obligation and a duty to the people of color, the black LGBTQ+ bison here, alums and current students, and our future students as well, students that are coming that identify in the LGBTQ+ community. It's really important to have this sense of belonging, first and foremost, for the LGBTQ+ community because we create so much of a narrative.
Working together to address mental health issues
[10:56] What we do to cultivate that is reach out, be a good collaborator, and continue to make sure that our students are seeking these services and feel welcome. A lot of it is just creating a space where students, specifically LGBTQ+ students, feel that someone is there. And they see them.
Preparing students to think critically when it comes to choosing their career
[18:45] When I speak to my students about their career plans and what they're looking for in a job, they always mention, "I want to see myself in that culture." They don't say money. They don't say geographic location. They say, "Can I be happy there with all of my identities? And that's a true testament to how we prepare our students and create this space for students to think critically and to think long-term when it comes to what happiness looks like.
Show Links:
- Historic Pride Night at Howard University Celebrates Diversity, Inclusion
- LGBTQ+ Support at Howard
- Dr. Wayne Frederick
- Bison Celebrate 7th Annual Lavender Reception
Guest Profile:
S1E8 - 28m - Jan 2, 2024 - Gun Safety At Home feat. Kayla Austin
Every year, 19,000 children and teens are killed or wounded due to gun violence, and approximately 3 million are exposed to gun violence. In many cases, these guns were found within the home, meaning the deaths were highly preventable.
Even if a child survives being shot, the mental scarring stays with them for years, possibly even life. In America, 4.6 million children live in a house that has a gun that is loaded and unlocked. How do we keep them safe?
Today we sit down with Kayla Austin, a rising junior at Howard University, gun violence activist from the Chicago area, and creator of My Guns Been Moved, a gun safety device that provides a way for gun owners to monitor their weapons 24/7.
Kayla and host Frank Tramble discuss how she came up with this device, preventing in home and accidental shootings, growing up hearing about gun violence, and the support she’s recieved from the Howard community and beyond.
HU2U is a production of Howard University and is produced by University FM.
Episode Quotes:
What does success look like for My Guns Been Moved?
[13:12] Success for My Guns Been Move looks like every American that has a firearm having our device in the home; that is the ultimate goal. As I mentioned, adding to this national conversation of what gun safety looks like, the goal is to partner with parent-teacher organizations and other organizations who are doing gun violence prevention work.
On the rising number of gun violence
[04:19] When I started my research, gun violence was a leading cause of death for black children and teens. And now it's a leading cause of death for children everywhere around the country.
Safeguarding lives through open conversations about gun safety
[15:47] The message I would send to parent firearm owners is to store your weapons safely and also start having those conversations with your children about what gun safety looks like. I think parents always want to be role model, so I think it's important to be a role model when it comes to safely storing your firearms, like showing your child what it looks like to be a responsible gun owner. It's extremely important having conversations about what a gun is, what the intention for it is, and how you store it safely. I think that those types of conversations are really important to have with your children.
Show Links:
Guest Profile:
S1E7 - 16m - Dec 11, 2023 - Overcoming Obstacles to Get More Black Women in the C-Suite feat. Dr. Denise Streeter
Have you ever wondered why there aren't more black women in C-suite positions among black students?
In higher education, women are more likely than men to earn degrees. Black women get 64.1% of bachelor degrees, 71.5% of master's degrees, and 65.9% of doctoral medical and dental degrees. Yet a recent McKinsey study found that only 1.6% of vice presidents in corporate America are black women. Why is this happening?
Dr. Denise Streeter is a professor of finance in the Howard University School of Business and joins us to explore these statistics. She is HU bred, having earned a degree in accounting from Howard, as well as degrees in economics and finance from other institutions. Dr. Streeter has also taught courses to students of all ages, in various formats, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and on three continents.
She joins host Frank Tramble to talk about why these numbers don’t shock her, starting businesses vs working in the traditional corporate system, building support systems for black women in and out of corporate roles, and finding inspiration on her path.
HU2U is a production of Howard University and is produced by University FM.
Episode Quotes:
Is it better for black women to start their own businesses or work in corporate America?
[05:01] The good news is that we have choices, so we can start our own businesses. And the beauty of it is that women are doing that. So we don't have to necessarily be dependent on the system if you want to hire us, but if we want to get into the system, we have to play it their way.
Overcoming obstacles with confidence
[03:18] We really have so many obstacles. We have to make sure we are overcoming, that we want to be the best at what we apply for. And sometimes, those job descriptions are tainted to keep those of us who won't do it out, but we have to build that confidence. And that's really your encouragement to motivate, help, and assist is important.
On having passion for work
[10:56] Find your passion in the place that you're going to work so that you know you're there to make deals, to bring in more clients, or whatever your thing is, because that's where you're going to be able to succeed.
Amplifying women's voices in the workplace over the years
[14:54] Women are more aware of who they are, so they're speaking up, and we're starting to join them together. So that we can be more supportive and they can know what it is that should not happen in the workplace.
Guest Profile:
S1E6 - 22m - Nov 27, 2023 - A Soft Landing For Young Folks of Color feat. Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble
More than 5 million African-Americans are reported having a mental illness. That's nearly 17.3% of the total Black US population. Black teens are among the highest rising rate of mental illness right now, especially coming right outta the pandemic. So how can we help this next generation amongst all this turmoil? Well, our guest is a passionate expert in helping youth of color take care of themselves.
Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble is a Howard alum and founder of the AAKOMA Project, a nonprofit for the mental health of the youth and the youth adults of color.
Host Frank Tramble and Alfiee sit down and talk about why her work focuses on teens & young people, mental health before and after the pandemic, the challenges of managing social media intake, and changing cultural stigmas around mental health.
HU2U is a production of Howard University and is produced by University FM.
Episode Quotes:
On creating a safe space for mental health for young people
[03:46] I want to always make sure that every young person I encounter feels seen, heard, and valued. That's my thing because in my home, I felt all of that. Outside of my home, not so much. And many young people struggle with that. So I always wanted to be like a soft landing for young people, so that’s why I focused on young folks.
Dr. Alfiee's vision is for authentic self-expression and well-being of young people through AAKOMA
[17:53] The message that I have for young people through the AAKOMA project is that we envision a world where every young person has the opportunity to live. Unapologetically and authentically as the best version of themselves.
The interplay of adult self-care and empowering young minds
[05:41] I feel like for the adults and caregivers in young people's lives, it's important for us to create the space and, more than anything, let young people know that who you are exactly as you are is beautiful. It's important and can only be enhanced if we support and take care of your mental health. But we can't do that if we don't take care of our own. So, it's important for us to acknowledge that there is an interplay between how parents and caregivers show up with our young people.
Dr. Alfiee's vision is for authentic self-expression and well-being of young people through AAKOMA
[17:53] The message that I have for young people through the AAKOMA project is that we envision a world where every young person has the opportunity to live. Unapologetically and authentically as the best version of themselves.
Show Links:
- AAKOMA Project
- Pursuing Equity and Mental Health Act
- Ring the Alarm Report
- Revelations: Uncovering Truths about the Mental Health of Youth of Color
- Sound it Out
Guest Profile:
S1E5 - 25m - Nov 13, 2023 - The Arts Reflect Who We Are feat. Dean Phylicia Rashad
When faced with federal cut backs and potential lack of funding in education, the fine arts always seem to be the first discipline on the chopping block. So what are we missing when it comes to the full value of the fine arts? And why especially, does it seem like black artists always have to fight for recognition? We’ll dig into it today with Dean Ohylicia Rashad
Phylicia Rashad is the Dean of the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts at Howard University. An accomplished actor and stage director, Rashad became a household name when she portrayed Claire Huxtable on “The Cosby Show,” a character whose enduring appeal has earned her numerous honors and awards for over two decades. She continues to dazzle on screen and on stage with an extensive career in theatre as well.
Rashad has served as guest lecturer and adjunct faculty member, conducting master’s-level classes at many colleges, universities and arts organizations at Howard University among many others.
She sits down with host Frank Tramble to discuss how Black Culture and fine arts are intrinsically tied together, art as an inspiration for change, reflects on the prominent roles and moments in her storied career, and how the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts will continue to change the world around us.
HU2U is a production of Howard University and is produced by University FM.
Episode Quotes:
On choosing to pursue greatness despite the lack of recognition
[02:02] A hundred years from now, nobody will remember who won a Grammy this year but a well-written song will still be sung. A beautiful poem will be remembered and have its effect. A great play will expound on themes that could still resonate a hundred years from now. And a film, a really good film will inspire youth to dream higher and higher and higher. It's the work that counts.
Art is life itself
[11:29] In museums, we see works of art that depict a starry night. We see works that depict workers in the field. We see works that depict birds in flight, but it's because art is life itself. So, like breathing, we take it for granted.
Why do people miss the full value of fine arts?
[10:22] People miss the value of it because we live in it all the time and take it for granted. Nature's the greatest artist of all when we look at a landscape and its changing colors within a season. We take it for granted because it happens every year when we perceive a sunrise. Even though the sunrise is different every single day, how many of us really take the time to breathe and take that in to observe those colors? The brilliance of them that is happening is why, naturally, we live in art. Our bodies are works of art.
On playing a role that made a huge impact
[21:35] A young man made his way through a crowd. He was from Germany, to tell me, "Before your show, we had nothing growing up in Germany," he said, "we had nothing." When your show came, we had everything.
Show Links:
- Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts
- Bisa Butler
- Dominique Morisseau
- Esther in August Wilson's “Gem of the Ocean”
- Genesis: The African American Experience in Art, The Ronald W. and Patricia Turner Walters Collection
- Give | Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts
- Cathy Hughes School Of Communications
- Logan Coles
- Inception
- A Mercy by Toni Morrison
- “This Little Light of Mine”
- John Biggers Quilting
- Revelations by Alvin Ailey
Guest Profile:
S1E4 - 33m - Oct 30, 2023 - The Pathology of Gun Violence feat. Dr. Roger Mitchell
Gun violence in the US has reached a point where it is a public health issue. 36,000 Americans die from firearm-related events. Each year, tens of thousands are injured. The medical community calls it a biopsychosocial disease.
We understand the risk factors and therefore can identify how to control and prevent it. So what more can we be doing to battle this ever-urgent issue? Dr. Roger Mitchell joins us to discuss today, he is chair of the Department of Pathology at Howard University.
Roger and host Frank Tramble sit down and talk about Dr. Mitchell’s career path, using disease modeling to address gun violence, who the audience for this research is, and his advice for emerging pathologists.
From HU2U is a production of Howard University and is produced by University FM.
Episode Quotes:
Violence is a complex problem that demands diverse solution
[06:25] One of the misconceptions about violence is that it's only homicidal; the majority of gun violence is now over 56% of gun violence is suicide, and by bringing in suicides into the conversation of violence, that decreases the other wisdom of violence because the individuals that are most impacted by suicidal violence are older white men. The individuals that are impacted by homicidal violence are younger black men. But if you look at violence across both spectrums, then it's everybody's issue that has different solutions.
Why understanding disease helps us understand violence
[05:16] There is both an environmental and a biological component to each disease process. And so if you understand that about violence, then you can understand it as preventable.
Viewing violence as a public health problem
[12:58] When you call violence a public health problem, then you can bring all of those resources to bear within the toolkit. If it's just a criminal justice problem, you're just dealing with law enforcement and the criminal legal system. But as a public health problem, you can bring all the community to solve this problem.
Advice to all emerging pathologists
[17:48] It is an opportunity for you to be a physician-scientist, to understand and be close to the basic science, and look at tissue and see how tissue causes, what diseases are seen in tissue, and how tissue shows itself up to cause disease. But it's also an opportunity for you to be involved in the clinical care of your patient as well. So I encourage anyone who's interested in pathology to think about it and look at it deeply, because it's a great field to go into.
Show Links:
- Gun Violence Prevention Task Force at Howard
- Centers of Excellence at Howard
- The Price of Freedom: A Son's Journey Paperback by Dr. Roger Mitchell
- Death in Custody: How America Ignores the Truth and What We Can Do about It by Dr. Roger Mitchell
Guest Profile:
S1E3 - 20m - Oct 16, 2023 - Inclusivity in the Afro-Latine Community feat. Natalie Muñoz and Obrian Rosario
In 2020, there were about 6 million Afro-Latine adults in the United States. That's 2% of the US adult population and 12% of all adult Latine population. Yet, while Afro-Latine have a very strong sense of culture and identity, the African-American community and the Latin community often don't know how to make sense of it.
As a result, Afro-Latine sometimes feel excluded and discriminated against. How can we make these communities feel more included and create that sense of belonging?
Joining us to discuss are Natalie Muñoz, a recent Howard doctoral graduate who focuses on Afro-Latine identity, and OBrien Rosario, a student in the Bachelor of Arts to Juris Doctor program (BAJD). Obrian is also the president of the ¡Changó! Howard University's Afro-Latin Student Association and Spanish Speaking Society.
Natalie and Obrian chat with host Frank Tramble about defining different experiences under the Latinx/e community, identity and mental health and steps Howard can take to ensure Latinx/e students have a real sense of belonging on campus.
From HU2U is a production of Howard University and is produced by University FM.
Episode Quotes:
The black diaspora doesn't fit into any boxes
[05:55] Natalie Muñoz: There are all these kinds of boxes that people try to put us in to tell us whether we fit into being able to identify or not, whether it's phenotypic features or hair features. But the reality is that the black diaspora is just so diverse that we don't fit into any box.
How can you be supportive to the Afro-Latina community?
[16:04] Obrian Rosario: My focus is always on community, and when we're in community with one another, we are able to learn about one another and more fully respect one another. And so look for community, whether that's joining a book club and reading about Afro-Latina identity, whether that's even throwing on an Afro-Latina Spotify playlist and immersing yourself in the culture. I think that's really what will break down the barriers, and we'll bring about that indifference. At ¡Changó!, we seek to create immersive experiences. So, every programming and everything that we did was literally bringing people into our culture—whether that is through eating the food with us, listening to the music with us, or digesting the literature with us—and so, find an Afro-Latina person and getting community.
The importance of having a channel to talk about mental health and identity
[14:45] Natalie Muñoz: That connection between identity and mental health is so important, and I don't think it's talked about enough. And the research is just showing, like allowing students to be their authentic selves, to really have pride in their ethnic-racial identity, can serve as a protective barrier for racism and also improve your self-esteem—the knowledge of self.
Now is the best time to build solidarity
[23:35] Natalie Muñoz: There's no better time than now for black people from the diaspora to start building solidarity. And there's also no better place to do it than an HBCU. I think they're right there. They're doing what they can, and I think if we did a little bit more, we could see so much more improvement in terms of relations between Afro-Latinos and African-Americans, but also being able to advocate each other in a time where we needed it more than ever.
Show Links:
- ¡Changó!
- African Students’ Association
- Haitian Students Association
- Caribbean Students Association
- Los Hermanos Restaurant
- All About Love - bell hooks
Guest Profile:
S1E2 - 26m - Oct 2, 2023 - The HU Writer’s Festival and Preserving the Black Experience feat. Dr. Benjamin Talton
The Moorland-Spingarn Research Center is the largest and most comprehensive repository of books, documents, and ephemera on the global Black experience, including the personal and official papers of Kwame Nkrumah, Paul Robeson, Elaine Locke, Mary Francis Berry, and many, many others.
2 years ago, a class of 1996 Howard Alumnus returned to campus to lead the center. Amongst the many ways he's rejuvenating it is by establishing an international black writers festival.
Dr. Benjamin Talton is an African studies scholar and author, and Director of the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center (MSRC) at Howard University. He's also the lead organizer for the MSRCs International Black Writers Festival, which will take place September 26th - 29th 2023.
Host Kweli Zukeri and Dr. Talton discuss the work of the research center in this episode, banning books, how the MSRCs International Black Writers Festival came to be, why we gather, and everything coming up at this years event.
From HU2U is a production of Howard University and is produced by University FM.
Episode Quotes:
Defining the future through MSRC
[04:51] When people have weaponized history, of course, our history has always been under attack. But we are, in large part, defined by our history. So controlling that is very important. So more than it is significant because we decide: "Okay, these are the books; these are the archives." This is what's significant for understanding the global black experience, that's important for the past but also important for the present. But then, also in terms of the future, we decide what new collections and books will be there. So not only saying the past defines us but we're also defining the future. And so I feel that we're in a very powerful position.
Fostering empowerment through africana-centric education
[25:50] We live in a society where policy and culture have been shaped and framed around disempowering us beyond symbolics…[26:06] But when you have institutions catered toward educating people of African descent for them and by them, the change is evident.
Bringing black intellectual thought to the forefront
[15:38] This year, I felt rather than just having amazing writers in conversation, I wanted to be deliberate about the theme to have everyone think about meditating on a particular idea, going back to the germ of the festival, which was bringing conversations among writers, activists, and scholars in conversations at Howard to make Howard the center of black intellectual thought.
Show Links:
- Moorland-Spingarn Research Center
- MSRCs International Black Writers Festival
- Between the World and Me Speaking by Ta-Nehisi Coates
- Sankofa Books
Guest Profile:
S1E1 - 29m - Sep 18, 2023
