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Howard Center Gets Facelift and New Housing Opportunities for Students

THE AFRO — Plans are underway to give the Howard Center a much needed makeover, adding available housing to students,

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By George Kevin Jordan, AFRO Staff Writer

Plans are underway to give the Howard Center a much needed makeover, adding available housing to students, university officials announced.

Currently the space, located at 2225 Georgia Avenue N.W. is vacant save existing tenants like Starbucks and Barnes & Noble. The proposed plan would transform floors three through nine into 176 below market rate, micro, one bedroom and two bedroom apartments, prioritizing the units for students, faculty, staff and associates, according to a statement from the university.

Howard Center located at 2225 Georgia Avenue N.W. will undergo renovations, with plans to be complete by Summer of this year. (Courtesy Photo)

“I am committed to improving our student experience at every level,” Howard University President Wayne A. I. Frederick said in a statement. “While we have renovated much of our housing stock over the past couple of years, the Howard Center project provides an improved foundation for our core graduate and professional programs which are key components of my growth strategy.”

“Also, included in the program are community spaces where residents can engage with faculty and alumni, which further deepens the linkage between generational University stakeholders. This project is a unique opportunity for Howard University to drive the re-imagination of the Georgia Avenue Corridor,” the statement said.

“It is a small, but significant initial step in furthering the DUKE Plan which envisions the immediate environment as part of the ‘Howard Town Center Area.’  This and our previously announced Bond Bread Factory and WRECO Garage redevelopment initiative will further enhance the local community experience while encouraging economic growth, job creation and development.”

The university is leasing the space to Provident Group – Howard Center, Inc., a 501(c)(3) for a period of 41 years.

The Howard Center is a  90,157 square foot building with nine floors. It is a major step in creating housing opportunities for the growing graduate school and professional Howard University students.

The plan has received support among business leaders and developers in the District. The plan’s team consists of many leaders including: Bank Of America/ Merill Lynch, Preston Hollow Capital, Provident Resources Group, Alvarez & Marsal, Corvias Campus Living and the District of Columbia.

“We were excited to learn of Dr. Frederick’s vision for the University,” said Ramiro Albarran, head of Originations at Preston Hollow Capital, said in a statement.  “Preston Hollow Capital brings creative solutions with its investments nationally.  We were proud to include Howard University in the $1 + billion  of investments that we made in 2018.  Howard University is an iconic national institution and we are thrilled to bring our expertise in structuring and capital allocation to support this project, the associated innovative program as well as the mission overall.”

The plan will also add amenities like a fitness center, laundry facilities, social lounges and gaming rooms to the space. The retail spaces will remain in place.

Developers hope to complete the renovations by Summer 2019.

The plan is part of a long term strategy for growth for the University which has recovered from a brief bad credit rating just after the financial crisis. Over the past two years the University has seen a boost in financial performance with a gain from operations of almost $12 million, according to the university website, while expenses decreased by 8% compared to 2015.

Howard University is ranked a Tier I national university by US News and and World Report (USNWR). Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States.

For more information on Howard University and the renovations visit www.howard.edu.

This article originally appeared in The Afro

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Art

A Prolific Painter: Artist and Advocate Lois Mailou Jones

Lois Mailou Jones was a prominent African American artist whose career spanned more than seven decades, from the Harlem Renaissance to the modern art movement. She was not only a prolific painter but also an influential educator, bridging cultural gaps and challenging stereotypes through her vibrant and diverse works.

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Courtesy of National Archives, Washington, D.C.
Courtesy of National Archives, Washington, D.C.

By Tamara Shiloh

 Lois Mailou Jones was a prominent African American artist whose career spanned more than seven decades, from the Harlem Renaissance to the modern art movement. She was not only a prolific painter but also an influential educator, bridging cultural gaps and challenging stereotypes through her vibrant and diverse works.

Her unique journey of self-expression, dedication to art, and advocacy for African American and African themes made her a crucial figure in the evolution of American art.

Jones was born on Nov. 3, 1905, in Boston. Raised in an intellectual and supportive family, she demonstrated an early interest in art, encouraged by her mother, who believed in the importance of creativity. Lois studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where she faced racial challenges but persisted in pursuing her passion.

Her pursuit of higher education led her to the prestigious Design Art School, where she perfected her skills in textile design. Later, Jones attended Harvard University and received further training at the Académie Julian in Paris. This European experience greatly influenced her style and broadened her perspective on art.

Jones’s career began in textile design, creating works that were used by leading textile companies. However, her true passion was painting. During the Harlem Renaissance, she moved away from textile design to focus on fine art, exploring themes that reflected her heritage and the African diaspora.

Her early works were influenced by European Post-Impressionism, featuring landscapes and still life, but Jones’s style evolved over time. After spending time in Haiti, she was deeply inspired by Caribbean culture, and her palette became more vivid, her subject matter more symbolic. The influence of African and Caribbean culture is evident in her later works, where she used bright colors and geometric patterns to convey the spirit and stories of the people she encountered.

Her contributions to African American art were significant during a time when Black artists struggled for recognition. She often focused on themes of African heritage, pride, and unity, blending African illustrations and portraits with Western artistic techniques to create a unique visual language that celebrated Black culture.

She was also a dedicated educator. She began her teaching career at Palmer Memorial Institute in North Carolina and later became a professor at Howard University in Washington, D.C., where she taught for almost 50 years. Through her teaching, she influenced generations of young Black artists, encouraging them to explore and express their cultural heritage through art.

In the 1930s and 1940s, she worked to exhibit her work alongside other Black artists, helping to create a platform for voices that had long been excluded from mainstream galleries.

Recognition and Legacy

Jones achieved significant recognition throughout her lifetime, both in the United States and internationally. She exhibited her work across the globe, including in Paris, Africa, and the Caribbean.

Jones continued painting until her death in 1998, leaving behind a rich legacy of artistic achievements and contributions to art education. She broke boundaries by celebrating Black identity and heritage at a time when these themes were often marginalized.

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California Black Media

New California Law Will Protect Students During Extreme Weather

On Sept. 22, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill that will protect students from extreme weather conditions by requiring the California Department of Education to develop guidelines for school districts to implement during weather patterns harmful to student health. Authored by Sen. Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger), “Yahushua’s Law” or Senate Bill 1248 addresses an extreme heat-related fatality in Lake Elsinore. During the summer of 2023, a student died after participating in physical education suffered extreme heat-related illness.

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Yahushua Robinson
Yahushua Robinson

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

 On Sept. 22, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill that will protect students from extreme weather conditions by requiring the California Department of Education to develop guidelines for school districts to implement during weather patterns harmful to student health.

Authored by Sen. Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger), “Yahushua’s Law” or Senate Bill 1248 addresses an extreme heat-related fatality in Lake Elsinore.  During the summer of 2023, a student died after participating in physical education suffered extreme heat-related illness.

“No student should ever lose their life on campus to extreme weather when we can take steps to protect them by preparing statewide plans to minimize exposure to the most harmful elements of exposure,” Sen. Hurtado stated last Spring. “I commend the family of Yahushua Robinson, the twelve-year student who lost his life due to heat related illness during on-campus physical education, for lending their emotional strength and compassion for others in order to help ensure that no other student loses their life this way.”

Supporters of the legislation say the lack of uniform guidelines and protocols across schools and school districts in California intensifies the issue, creating an urgent need for safeguards to ensure student safety during extreme weather conditions.

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California Black Media

More Than 1.2 Million Youth Pre-Registered to Vote, Secretary of State Weber Announced

Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber announced on Sept. 26 that more than 1.2 million young people between the ages of 16 and 17-years-old have pre-registered to vote since the state launched the initiative in September 2016. The state program automatically activates voter registration for pre-registered youth when they turn 18 years of age.

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California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley N. Weber. Photo Courtesy of ShirleyWeber.com.
California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley N. Weber. Photo Courtesy of ShirleyWeber.com.

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber announced on Sept. 26 that more than 1.2 million young people between the ages of 16 and 17-years-old have pre-registered to vote since the state launched the initiative in September 2016. The state program automatically activates voter registration for pre-registered youth when they turn 18 years of age.

Weber, who has visited dozens of high schools across the state to promote voting initiatives, said that students are eager to vote and look forward to casting their first ballot, and “the numbers back them up.”

“Young Californians want to be engaged, active participants in our democracy and they can position themselves to do so by preregistering to vote,” said Weber.

Weber said that she is committed to encouraging young people to pre-register to vote, adding that she looks forward to partnering with the California Department of Education, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, school officials, and leaders of community-based organizations to expand this effort.

According to Weber’s office, approximately 42% of young voters are registered Democrats, while over 13% are registered Republicans. Another 35% of young voters registered as having “no party preference.”

For more information, Californians can visit the online pre-registration website at www.RegisterToVote.ca.gov. Registration is open to residents who are 16 or 17 and meet all the following criteria:

  • A United States citizen and a resident of California.
  • 18 years old or older on Election Day.
  • Not currently serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony
  • Not currently found mentally incompetent to vote by a court.

More information about pre-registration for California youth can be found at sos.ca.gov/elections/pre-register-16-vote-18.

Upcoming key deadlines and dates for the November 5, 2024, General Election can be found at here.

Plus, visit http://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/statewide-elections/2024-primary/section-08-general-election-calendar.pdf to view a complete California General Election Calendar with more voting details and updates.

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