brown lives matter too
TRANSCRIPT
2 NOVEMBER 16, 2015 THE HILLTOP
C AMPUSThe Hilltop Editorial Offi ce2251 Sherman Ave. NW
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STAFFTAYLOR TIAMOYO HARRIS
NILE KENDALLBUSINESS MANAGER
DELORES TERRYASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAGER
LEANNA COMMINSSENIOR COPY CHIEF
SYLVESTER JOHNSON IIIASSISTANT COPY CHIEF
JAZMIN GOODWINCAMPUS EDITOR
WILL FULLERNEWS EDITOR
DIANDRA BOLTONVARIETY EDITOR
NKECHI NNOROMSPORTS EDITOR
RISHARA JOHNSONGRAPHICS DIRECTOR
CRYSTAL SMITHPHOTO EDITOR
WILLIAM FOSTERMARKETING DIRECTOR
JAILYN ANDERSONDIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION
MALCOLM WILLIAMSWEB MASTER
COURTESY PHOTO
Gregory RobinsonContributing Writer
Howard University junior political science student and U.S. Department
of the Interior intern, Chris Hill, is making sure that the message of “Brown Lives Matter Too” is being heard. As the founder of his own non-profi t “Soul of Nations,” Hill is just beginning his journey to broadening and enhancing the educational opportunities for Native American youth nationwide.
Soul of Nations’ mission is to advocate on behalf of Native American youth who are faced with limited resources, living on reservations in downtrodden communities.
“I started Soul of Nations my senior year of high school with a friend of mine after I revisited the Navajo reservation,” Hill said. “I had been going on mission trips with my dad since elementary school, and my last trip my senior year in high school changed my life.
From the ground up, Hill has built a mechanism that will provide awareness, opportunity and change for the most impoverished Native
Americans. “Soul,” as Hill refers to it, realized the need to begin by “[focusing] and mentoring students who have creative business endeavors.”
In addition to the previous efforts of Soul - including a $5,000 scholarship to a tribal college student - the organization recently sponsored a business professional clothing drive earlier this month raising over $7,000 in clothing items.
The goal is to help these children reimagine their reality. Through the lens of an entrepreneurial sprit, Hill plans to cultivate not only college graduates, but the next business leaders of the world.
“We want to focus on students who have creative business endeavors. I want the children on reservations to ‘do.’ You hear a lot about federal and non-profi t organizations who kind of coddle, but I want to inspire change. It all starts with a thought,” Hill said.
Hill and a small team of two others recently fl ew to the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico and hand delivered the proceeds to blissful students who had never owned a pair of dress clothes prior. The three-
day excursion allowed Soul to steer its fi rst fi eld project and is referred to by Hill as “Soul’s most rewarding feat, yet.”
Howard University French major and business partner Darnelle Casimir refl ects on her visit to the Navajo Reservation.
“I am still in awe at the response from the students,” Casimir said. “I had hoped that they would be excited, but they weren’t just excited - they were in love.”
Once taken into account the fact that the percentage of Native Americans over 25 who have obtained a Bachelors degree is less than half of the overall Native American population, one might better understand the dire need for authentic and relevant support.
President Obama has honed in on this issue, as well, by launching Generation Indigenous, a recognition that tribal communities thrive when their youth are safe and healthy, have access to a quality education, housing, and meaningful job opportunities, and can learn their native languages and cultures.
”[Native Americans] did their
part to build our nation. They were the Einsteins and the Carnegies, but also the men and women...who built this country hand by hand, brick by brick,” Obama said.
But even though the nation’s fi rst black president is on board, there is a disparity in African American support of Native American communities.
“There are never any blacks supporting Native American issues, mostly white people,” said Hill. “I fi nd it really crazy because in a way we experience the same oppression. Not the trans-atlantic slave trade, but we were and still are both oppressed by one race. If more African Americans helped out, I think that would be more impactful.”
Hill’s aim is to bring people together to provide a voice for Native American communities and their youth.
“Our mouths are so powerful. People call it advocacy, but its really just spreading the truth. Being able to bring other people along is the best part, I have so much fun. “I know not everyone is going to dig it, but this is something that is right. Just not common.”
“Brown Lives Matter, Too”