Black Voices on the Hill

WVBR-FM Podcasts

About

Black Voices on the Hill centers Black lives, amplifies Black stories, and enhances the Black experience at Cornell University, greater Ithaca, and beyond.
Host Daniel James II, a junior at the Cornell ILR School, will cover topics ranging from racism, police brutality, colorism, and sexism to Greek life, leadership, and white elitism in the Ivy League.
We see Black excellence.
We believe in Black empowerment.
We love the Black experience.

Contact: news@wvbr.com

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56 episodes

Ep 54 Darius Scott: Creativity, Healthcare, and His Cornell Career as the Comeback Kid

Darius Scott on why he advocates for neurological healthcare: “There is a health disparity in terms of neurologic healthcare access for black and hispanic people...it is a big part of what I want to do in my career to advocate and increase the utilization of neurologic resources and care so it’s more accessible and affordable for lower-income communities.” Listen in as Darius and Daniel James II discuss their thoughts on the UVA Football shooting, balancing his schooling, physical and mental health, and personal life as a student-athlete at Cornell University, how he combined his creative side with his work as a health equity advocate, and so much more!! Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill Twitter: @BVHCornell Hosted by: Daniel James II '22 Produced by: Faith Shote '24 Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

53m
Feb 28, 2023
Ep 53 Nathan Eyasu: How to Be the Change You See in the World

Nathan Eyasu on why the Caleb Foundation is important to him: “When you really think about it, these kids are no different from me and you. They were born into a situation that they cannot control and the only difference between me and them is luck. How fair is it for me to be placed in the US, see this, and go back to my home and just not do anything about it?” Join your new co-host Erica Yirenkyi '25 as she speaks to Nathan Eyasu '25 about his work as a board member of the Caleb foundation, creating a digital library, how vital help is to getting initiatives started, how others can make an impact through non-profits in their communities, and so much more! Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill Twitter: @BVHCornell Hosted by: Erica Yirenkyi '25 Edited by: Faith Shote '24 Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

38m
Feb 14, 2023
Ep 52 Jeremy Gouraige: Distinguishing Himself in the World of Business

Jeremy Gouraige on his skills he utilized during small business pro bono consulting: "Research and analytical skills along with communication because it's us providing our work to them, so the better of a communicator you are, the more effective your advice is going to be because your clients are going to be able to understand you more." Listen to Jeremy Gouraige speak with Daniel James II about his transfer journey to Cornell University, balancing recruiting season and the hectic schedule of a Cornell ILR student, distinguishing himself as a Black man in the business world, involvement in the Cornell and Ithaca BIPOC communities through his organizations, and so much more! Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM. wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill BVH is now on TWITTER! @BVHCornell Hosted by: Daniel James II '22 Edited by: Faith Shote '24

27m
Feb 07, 2023
Ep 51 Tony Bridges: Bridging the Gap in Black Access to the Metaverse & Tech

Tony on Under-Represented Minorities in Computing at Cornell (URMC): “It was a great place to be around other black and Latinx people like me doing what I wanted to do and seeing that they are able to achieve these massive goals with companies with massive names like Google and Facebook.” Listen to Tony chat with Daniel James II about his and his family’s love of music, his mother’s immigration story, growing up in Florida, the lack of diversity in tech groups on campus, entering a decentralized era of the internet in Web 3, Lotoya’s viral tweet NFT, and so much more. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM.  wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill  BVH is now on TWITTER! @BVHCornell Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

1h 14m
May 17, 2022
Ep 50: Yasmin Ballew: Making Time for Self-Care, Black Mentors, and Making Waves in Racial Justice

Yasmin on mental health stigmas: “As black students and as black women, we’re taught that we need to be better than our white counterparts. We need to be resilient and strong. We need to be everything they are as far as grades, AND some. We can never show any signs of weakness. And I think that’s where that stigma comes along with mental health, and I think the first step is a willingness to speak openly about our struggles.” Yasmin Bellew is the president of Alpha Phi Omega, Cornell’s largest service fraternity, but she’s also a member of pre-law organizations KAPi and Black Ivy. Listen to her conversation with Daniel James II about growing up in California’s Central Valley, the impact of her black women mentors, the inaccessibility of therapy for people of color, the difference between structural reform and victim advocacy in the criminal justice and incarceration systems, and so much more. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM.  wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill  BVH is now on TWITTER! @BVHCornell Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

36m
May 10, 2022
Ep 49: Lassan Bagayoko: Education Reform, Black Excellence, and Engagement at Cornell

“That’s what ultimately drives my passion… wanting to create change me, for the people around me, and for the people I care about.” Listen to Lassan’s conversation with Daniel James II about being from Mali, growing up Harlem and understanding its place as a black cultural center, his experience between public schools and a charter school, education as a chance to nurture people and their passions, his belief in serving others, his involvement in the Black Student Union and Alpha Phi Alpha, and so much more.  Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM.  wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill  BVH is now on TWITTER! @BVHCornell Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

1h 17m
May 03, 2022
Ep 48 Cariol Horne: A Campaign for Cariol's Law, Her Pension, and Criminal Justice

“Fast forward to George Floyd, where the officers did . And people said, ‘wait a minute, wasn’t an officer fired for doing ?’ …Now, they have 2020 vision.” Cariol Horne was a police officer in Buffalo in 2006 when she witnessed a fellow police officer attacking a handcuffed black man, and she was fired for intervening. The firing was reversed in 2020 and the governor issued a formal apology, but she still has not been given her pension. Listen to her conversation with Daniel James II about how she became a police officer, accountability for police officers through Cariol’s Law, her work with youth in the community, her stance on the criminal justice system, incarceration, and release, and so much more. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM.  wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill  BVH is now on TWITTER! @BVHCornell Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

27m
Apr 26, 2022
Ep 47 Richmond Addae: Finding Passion in Finance and a Future in Fashion

Where did Richmond discover his love for fashion? "I think part of being African, at least with my parents, is presenting yourself to the best of your abilities. From a young age I was always well-dressed, wearing my little suit, little ties, things like that. I think people were gassing my head up!" Richmond Addae is a junior in the ILR School chatting with Daniel James II about self-care shopping, growing up in NYC, his journey to Cornell ILR, navigating a PWI in both high school and college, bringing his identity to corporate finance and fashion, code-switching at work, and so much more.  Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM.  wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill  BVH is now on TWITTER! @BVHCornell Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

43m
Apr 07, 2022
Ep 46 Dr. Peniel Joseph: Martin and Malcolm's Fight for Black Citizenship, Dignity, and Equality

“Sometimes students ask me what was Malcolm’s biggest accomplishment… Malcolm’s biggest accomplishment was turning negroes into black people. There’s no legislation— he burrowed into your soul and your psyche and gave you a reason to live.” Dr. Peniel Joseph is a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, and you may be familiar with his analysis of race relations with Don Lemon on CNN. Listen to his conversation with Daniel James II about his book , the convergences of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr., radical black dignity and radical black citizenship, the value of bringing all black lives to the forefront in today’s movement, and the effectiveness of the Movement for Black Lives. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM.  wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill  BVH is now on TWITTER! @BVHCornell Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

38m
Mar 22, 2022
Ep 45 Dean Marla Love: Marla's Take on Mental Health, Minority Support, and Making "Dean" of Students

What is a brave space? “It’s not protecting you from challenge, but it’s giving the space to be able to overcome challenges and overcome barriers with support, community, affirmation, and feedback.” Cornell Dean of Students Marla Love is working to advocate for an inclusive Cornell student experience. Listen to her conversation with Daniel James II about her path to a career in student affairs, the difference between a brave space and a safe space, unequal access on the path to graduate school, the impact of her first black teacher, the Access Fund, sharing responsibility for mental health on campus, and so much more. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM.  wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill  BVH is now on TWITTER! @BVHCornell Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

1h 11m
Mar 16, 2022
Ep 44 Dr. Riché Richardson: 'Bama Beginnings, Book Bans, and Bringing Beyoncé Into Africana Studies

“A lot of people talking about critical theory don’t even know what it is…to be so invested in spreading lies, or trying to shut down the study of black history, or shut down conversations about slavery…unrighteousness will not take us forward. When you have things that have happened in the past, there must be some acknowledgement…” said Dr. Riché Richardson.  This renowned author who has had pieces published in O Magazine, and NY Times, Alabamian by birth, and black academic by trade is also an Associate Professor of African-American Literature in Cornell University’s Africana Studies Department. Listen to this episode as Daniel and her discuss her Montgomery roots, book bans, the history of Africana studies being birthed at Cornell, and Beyoncé Nation course spicing up Cornell’s curriculum, and has even reached Beyoncé’s ear?  Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM.  wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill  BVH is now on TWITTER! @BVHCornell Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

1h 8m
Feb 22, 2022
Ep 43 Liz Davis-Frost: Equity, a Pandemic Election, and a Future in Education Reform

“Sometimes I have a hard time saying there should be more [black voices] in the room because I also think more of us should be able to just chill. I know I wouldn’t be who I am today without all of these things that I’ve done, but sometimes I wish I could walk to campus, come back home, watch some TV, make dinner, and go to bed.” Liz Davis-Frost is from Birmingham, Alabama, the daughter of a single mother, and Cornell’s graduate student-elected trustee. Listen to her conversation with Daniel James II about the sexualization of black girls, growing up around relics of Jim Crow, how a concussion during COVID led her to Cornell’s masters in public administration, running for student-elected trustee, gender advocacy on campus, and so much more. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM.  wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill  BVH is now on TWITTER! @BVHCornell Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

1h 9m
Feb 15, 2022
Ep 42 Niyyah Barber: Finding Black Student Community & Campaigning for More Black Women in Law

“It’s really easy when discussing a case to forget about the impact that it has on people… but I think having those conversations with the black voices in my class brings in context about many disadvantaged communities. I think this has improved everyone’s education.” Niyyah Barber entered Cornell as an ILRie from Texas, and now she is about to graduate from Stanford Law School. Listen to her talk with Daniel about her LSAT and law school admissions strategies, finding community through KAPi and Black Ivy, sticking with her love of labor and employment law, and her advice for new students making friends. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM.  wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill  BVH is now on TWITTER! @BVHCornell Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

52m
Feb 08, 2022
Ep 41 JeNaye Beavers: Happiness, Wholeness, Health: JeNaye's Journey to Human Nayeture

“If you have more tools in your toolkit, I feel like meeting someone where they’re at isn’t too much to ask, especially if you know they can’t stretch any further. Just try— that goes a long way. It might not look how you expect it to look, but if someone knows you’re trying, there’s grace to be given.” JeNaye Beavers has not written a self-help book yet, but she might be on her way. Listen to the Class of '20 Cornellian and her conversation with Daniel James II about her experience with therapy, the loss of her father, meeting people where they are emotionally, her decision to leave her corporate job and take a gap year, pursuing graduate programs in therapy, her Human Nayeture podcast, the difference between personal success and prestige, and so much more.  Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM.  wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill  BVH is now on TWITTER! @BVHCornell Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

1h 1m
Jan 11, 2022
Ep 40 Mar'Quon Frederick: Curating Passion, Reimagining Policing, and Changing Post-Conviction Life

“When people ask me who I am, the first thing I can think of is ‘I am the son of Mercedes and Brian Francis.’ The sacrifices they have made at such a young age [help me] know my ‘why,’ why I wanted to pursue not just criminal law but government in general… I want to take care of people who have been incarcerated because they were forced to take plea bargains because they couldn’t afford to stay in jail… I want to not only help them in that capacity, but to dismantle all systems of oppression.” Mar’Quon is a grooving Cornell in sophomore in KAPi who has lived everywhere, and people call him on the roller rink. Listen to his conversation with Daniel James II about his ‘why,’ his calling to pursue a career in criminal justice, the sacrifices his parents have made to give him opportunities like attending Cornell, his work fighting incarceration, housing, and other justice issues in Ithaca, how money dictates political power, and so much more. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM.  wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

36m
Dec 21, 2021
Ep 39 Nkili Gause: Education, the Insurrection, and Going from Clyburn Intern to Hill Staffer

“It wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized being told I was “pretty for a black girl” wasn’t a compliment the way I thought it was when I was growing up… why can’t I just be pretty? You don’t realize until you get out of that environment [what kind of] impact it can have on you.” Nkili Gause is a scholar hailing from Loris, South Carolina, and is currently a legislative assistant for Rep. Clyburn on Capitol Hill. Listen to her conversation with Daniel James II about her hometown's chicken bog specialty, her path to the Hill, her work on appropriations and policy development, her education aspirations, representation on the Hill, her perspective as a staffer on 1/6, and her response to people who ask about 'black on black crime.' Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM.  wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

54m
Nov 23, 2021
Ep 38 Khalil Greene: Black Student Leadership, Black Gen-Z Culture, and a Radical Black Imagination

Khalil on tax-funded magnet schools: "...they give students a huge stratifying advantage for life. I think it’s messed up that because one student can memorize ten history facts and another student can’t, they’re put in these extra rigorous programs… [I think] all learning should be more tailored rather than uniform.” Khalil Greene has a voice to guide a generation. Listen to the first black student body president of Yale talk to Daniel James II about connecting student government to student activism, crafting nuanced activist arguments for social media, the problematic narratives about black fatherhood portrayed in media, growing up in a majority-POC school in Germantown, Maryland, why he wants to abolish magnet schools, his work with the Boys & Girls Club, and more.  Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM.  wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

45m
Nov 02, 2021
Ep 37 Rumbidzai Mangwende: Baltimore Girl, Black Hair, and Partnering with Blackstone

“If I would look up extensions or wigs, the first that would come upon in the search would be a white man with a huge afro in a huge 70s costume” said Rumbi concerning what led her to found online beauty supply store, Ethossphere. Listen to this all-new episode as Rumbidzai Mangwende talks to Daniel about her experience as a girl growing up in Baltimore City, coming to Dyson as a transfer student to Cornell, founding a black owned business Ethossphere, and now being the first black woman to partner her business with Blackstone, the largest private equity company, through their Launchpad Fellowship.  Catch  on air each Friday at 2pm EST on WVBR 93.5 FM, Ithaca's Alternative.  wvbr.com/blackvoices http://wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD. https://www.youtube.com/redirect?q=https%3A%2F%2Fgoo.gl%2FqnhQtD&v=oKJOkF6UMVg&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbkZ1T2xXSGo2MDBxd29MdkRrZXljd252RE02UXxBQ3Jtc0tsVThxcmRrSEtlQmRtaW5QWTNTQ2FDUXJJMnlpUHk3RThkS040RlNYYVh6bVg4YVdBSnJIODA4VWdlcWFYLThFQVJCV0R4bm1UYTNYVmtOaUVqaTNWMWZJeDZmTHdBVUR0SHgxN3RMTldKdnZCMExCVQ%3D%3D&event=video_description

39m
Oct 19, 2021
Ep 36 Caroline Johnson: Surviving and Thriving as a Black Journalist in the Fake News Era

Caroline on being a student journalist: “I think the importance behind journalism is making sure a wide range of voices is covered so that…you can get a range of perspectives….because everyone’s truth is different." Caroline Johnson is a senior in the ILR School at Cornell, and a stellar journalist in the making. She serves as senior editor for the Cornell Daily Sun, and co-founded the BIPOC/Related Category during the 2020 Summer, a time marked by racial injustice, and the murders of countless black men and women. Listen to this conversation with her friend, Daniel James II, as they discuss her realization she could write, her community work this summer, as well as what it means to know what’s “next” for her — NY Times maybe? Catch  on air each Friday at 2pm EST on WVBR 93.5 FM, Ithaca's Alternative.  wvbr.com/blackvoices http://wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD. https://www.youtube.com/redirect?q=https%3A%2F%2Fgoo.gl%2FqnhQtD&v=oKJOkF6UMVg&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbkZ1T2xXSGo2MDBxd29MdkRrZXljd252RE02UXxBQ3Jtc0tsVThxcmRrSEtlQmRtaW5QWTNTQ2FDUXJJMnlpUHk3RThkS040RlNYYVh6bVg4YVdBSnJIODA4VWdlcWFYLThFQVJCV0R4bm1UYTNYVmtOaUVqaTNWMWZJeDZmTHdBVUR0SHgxN3RMTldKdnZCMExCVQ%3D%3D&event=video_description

54m
Oct 05, 2021
Ep 35 Kareem Hill: The Road to Cornell, A Clothing Company, and Limitless Creativity

Kareem on Rare Concepts NYC: “I wanted to start something, I wanted to start something of my own. And I think the pandemic was the time… I was like, if I don’t start something now, I’ll never start it.” Kareem Hill is a junior in the Dyson School at Cornell, but he is already an entrepreneur with his own clothing business, Rare Concepts NYC. Listen to his conversation with Daniel James about their shared experience at Andover, choosing Cornell over Princeton, avoiding a 9-5 job, building a brand, the difference between financially stable and financially free, and so much more.  Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM.  wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

48m
Sep 21, 2021
Ep 34 Isaiah Scott: Birding & Cultivating a Niche for Black Boy Joy

Welcome to year 2 of Black Voices on the Hill!  “The whole brand of Isaiah E. Scott is birds, art, and culture.” This fall, Cornell has the honor of welcoming the up-and-coming ornithologist Isaiah Scott to the Class of 2025. Listen to his conversation with Daniel James II about his love of wildlife, growing up in Georgia, his parents' support, the disparate impact of climate change on black communities, the racist and complicated history of the ornithological field, writing his first book, and his guided bird-watching tours, Ike's Birding Hikes.  Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM.  wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

48m
Sep 07, 2021
Ep 33 Noah Harris: Mississippi, Making it to Harvard, & Addressing Mental Health as Student Body President

“Harvard wasn’t made for people like us— for black people, or for people from the south generally.” Noah Harris is a southern boy from Mississippi, but he's also first black man to be president of Harvard’s undergraduate student body. Listen to his chat with Daniel about mental health and emerging from the pandemic, the endless giving nature of people from Mississippi, the tug of war black people experience between being humble and underplaying their personal accomplishments, the measures of violin sizing, his children’s book “Successville https://www.amazon.com/Successville-Noah-Harris/dp/057846408X/ref=sr_1_2?crid=7BYNTR2G6KUU&dchild=1&keywords=successville+noah+harris&qid=1626756972&sprefix=noah+harris+su%2Caps%2C170&sr=8-2,” the changing role of student government at Harvard, and so much more. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM.  wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

49m
Jul 20, 2021
Ep 32 Andover Hill: Boarding While Black at Andover: Where Are They Now?

“Already, being a teenager is rough. Being a black teenager is rough. Being a black teenager in America is rough. Being a black teenager who is low-income in America is rough. I could go on.” This special edition of BVH brings you to Andover Hill with Fredericka Lucas, Emily Ndiokho, Michael Codrington, and Amiri Tulloch. Listen to their conversations with classmate Daniel James II about coming of age at Andover, forming identities in response to social expectations of Black students, learning Critical Race Theory in high school, their post-grad plans as they approach their senior years of college, and so much more. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM.  wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

1h 21m
Jul 09, 2021
Ep 31 Colin Hancock: Making Music, Making it at Cornell, and Making it to the Grammy's

The moment that Colin met jazz: “From the second that I heard the first note of it, I was like, ‘this is the greatest thing ever.’ I wanted to play this music, listen to this music, I want to know more. I was like 8 years old, and it was honestly one of the most significant moments of my life. I was just hooked.” Colin Hancock is a jazz historian and musician, future land-use lawyer with background in urban planning, a Cornell grad, and now a Columbia University grad! Listen to his conversation with Daniel about his Texas and blues heritage, his connection to the inspiration for SOUL, his Grammy nomination for album notes, the Cornell Syncopators, and more. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM.  wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

50m
Jun 22, 2021
Ep 30 Selam Woldai: Mental Health, Meeting Michelle + Oprah, & Making Waves as the New Student Trustee

“Being a first-gen student is very lonely if you don’t have other first-gen student [friends]… As much as people want to say, ‘yes I understand your struggle,’ you really don’t understand the first-gen struggle unless you are first-gen.” Self-described Black woman enthusiast and University Student Trustee Selam Woldai joins Daniel James II this week to talk about facing online harassment while on Student Assembly, her friends as family and a support network, self-care in the face of imposter syndrome, what it means to be a first-gen student, meeting and speaking to Oprah and Michelle, and so much more. Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM.  wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

41m
May 25, 2021
Ep 29 Kolby McGowan Talks Football, Fighting Imposter Syndrome, and FInding a Voice as a Creative

Kolby on growing up in Chattanooga, TN and moving to Cornell: “This Cornell bubble… a lot of people don’t understand, don’t realize what’s going on outside of Cornell, outside of this New York area.” ILR Junior, Cornell varsity football player, and YouTuber Kolby McGowan joins Daniel James II this week for a fantastic talk about making the most of covid times, his renewed love of reading, maintaining his faith during college, watching his brother achieve his dreams, growing up in Chattanooga, and so much more.  Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM.  wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

43m
May 11, 2021
Ep 28 Alena Reed: Spreading Positivity, Spinning the Wheel, & Starting Yellow of the Sun

“It’s ok to be black and to not be an activist. You can just be black— being black is already hard enough. Sometimes I don’t want to go around telling my story to everyone everyday... I just want to be black and get through the day’s trials. You can just be your best black self.” Alena Reed takes sunshine with her everywhere, even beyond Cornell, to her small fashion clothing business Yellow of the Sun, to her church at home in California, and now to Wheel of Fortune. Listen to her chat with Daniel about true crime documentaries, the strains of social media and activism, transferring to Cornell, and so much more.  Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM.  wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

46m
May 04, 2021
Ep 27: CBCF Interns Talk Racism, Ruff Ryder DMX, and Our Responsibility to Create Black Generational Wealth

“I wanted a place where I could transition into majority white spaces and feel a sense of confidence in myself, so that’s why it was important for me to get into [CBCF]… I could ground my roots, have a network of young Black professionals who I can relate with and think like… and even if I didn’t think like them, I could still find some sort of relation.” Four of Daniel's fellow Congressional Black Caucus Foundation interns, Leonorah Applewhite, Cheyenne Richardson, Gianni Morsell, and Joy Richardson, dropped in for a chat about their journeys to CBCF, collective grief, financial literacy, integration versus infiltration at HBCUs and PWIs, local and federal politics, Daniel's proficiency in speaking German, and so much more.  Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM.  wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

1h 6m
Apr 27, 2021
Ep 26: Congressman Clyburn on Making Headway Over Making Headlines

“I adhere to the basic notion that when the world gives you lemons, you make lemonade. Now, a lot of people will take the lemons in the corner and suck on ‘em.” House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn has represented South Carolina's 6th Congressional District, Daniel's home district, since 1993. Listen to his conversation with Daniel about his stance against defunding the police, his endorsement of Joe Biden, making thoughtful change through a united progressive movement, his bill to get corporate money out of politics, his love of Harry Truman, and the letters from his late wife Emily.  Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM.  wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

33m
Apr 20, 2021
Ep 25 Frank Dawson: From Black Movement-Shaking to Hollywood Filmmaking

The revolution will not be televised, but it might make it to radio.  Cornell and WVBR alum Frank Dawson was part of the Willard Straight Hall takeover and other protests for Black students in the late 60s and early 70s, and now he is an award-winning producer and filmmaker. Listen to his chat with Daniel about growing up in a Manhattan public housing project, being a child of the Civil Rights Movement, his love of reading, Cornell's assimilation expectations of incoming Black students, his time at WVBR and WHCU, and so much more.  Catch Black Voices on the Hill each Friday @2pm on WVBR 93.5 FM.  wvbr.com/blackvoices Instagram: @blackvoicesonthehill Music provided by OZSOUND. Channel: https://goo.gl/qnhQtD.

1h 10m
Apr 13, 2021