@Claflin: Panther Talks Live, SC Superstars, CU Student Athletes, and Social Justice virtual program and more

February 19, 2021

The World Needs Visionaries

Watch Panther Talks Live Featuring Dr. Cleveland Sellers

Panther Talks Live is a webinar series that highlights the issues and events that are happening around the Claflin University campus. The in-depth discussions involve talks with faculty, staff, students, alumni and supporters. Panther Talks Live engages Claflin University and surrounding communities while increasing awareness about students, fundraising, programs, and events.

Click here to register to watch the next Panther Talks Live on Tuesday, February 23 at 6 p.m.

If you would like to submit questions for this virtual program, please send to communications@claflin.edu.

Claflin Center for Social Justice, Department of Athletics, and WIS-TV Announce Launch of “SC Superstars, CU Student Athletes, and Social Justice” Virtual Presentation

(Former NBA and UofSC star Alex English to participate in inaugural program)

The Claflin University Center for Social Justice, Department of Athletics, and local NBC-affiliate WIS-TV 10 will host "SC Superstars, CU Student Athletes, and Social Justice” on Wednesday, February 24 at 7:30-8:15 p.m. Former NBA and University of South Carolina (UofSC) basketball star Alex English will be the featured guest for the first in a series of virtual presentations. WIS-TV sports anchor/reporter Joe Gorchow will serve as the program’s moderator of the program which is accessible to the public via Zoom on the WIS-TV website.

The monthly presentations will be highlighted by appearances of notable sports personalities with ties to South Carolina who have achieved national recognition for their accomplishments in athletics and social justice. The program is designed to engage the community and residents throughout the state in discussions about social justice and other important issues.

“Mr. English was selected as the first speaker in this series because of his love of South Carolina, his remarkable career in professional and college basketball, and his steadfast commitment throughout his life to social justice,” said Dr. Belinda Wheeler, director of Claflin’s Center for Social Justice. “He will share his incredible story and discuss what social justice means to him. He will also offer advice to today’s students and answer questions from Claflin student-athletes.”

The Center for Social Justice at Claflin University was established in May 2020.

English retired with NBA career averages of 21.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. He was the first NBA player to score 2,000 points in eight consecutive seasons, and he has the distinction of being the top NBA scorer in the 1980s. English was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1997.

English played at UofSC from 1973-1976 and twice earned All-America honors. His 1,972 points are second-most in Gamecock history. His 25,613 points, coming mainly as a Denver Nugget, are 19th-most in NBA history. After retiring from his playing career, English was appointed director of player programs for the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA). While serving in this capacity he successfully revised and managed several league-wide player programs and served as liaison between the NBPA and the Retired Players Association. During the 1995 NBA/NBPA labor negotiations, English was appointed interim executive director of the NBPA.

Grammy Nominees, Hip-Hop Icons, and Chart-Topping Performers Headline Entertainment for CIAA Virtual Tournament Week

The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), the nation’s oldest historically black athletic conference, in partnership with Visit Baltimore, announces a star-studded lineup of recording artists and entertainers for the first-ever CIAA virtual tournament week, on February 23-27. Highlighted acts for the week-long celebration have garnered 15 Grammy nominations, billions of listens on music streaming platforms, and robust social media followings.

Hip-hop pioneer and Grammy-nominated entertainer MC Lyte will kick things off, alongside Baltimore-based mixers DJ Quicksilva and DJ Flow, during the Charm City Welcome Reception presented by Visit Baltimore (February 24). The event will be hosted by Baltimore natives Robyn Dixon (Real Housewives of Potomac) and platinum-selling R&B singer/songwriter Mario. It will also feature celebrity guest appearances, including former co-host of BET’s 106 & Park and current Bowie State University student Rocsi Diaz.

Diaz will also serve as moderator for the “Preserving the Whole You” seminar, while TV personality and activist Jeff Johnson will lead the panel discussion tabbed “Financial Goals: Creating Financial Freedom”. White House correspondent for The Grio and Charm City native April Ryan will be the featured moderator for the discussion on “COVID-19: The Next Chapter.”

Grammy-nominated rapper and DMV native Wale will headline CIAA Fan Fest presented by Nationwide, hosted by comedians Burpie and Darren Brand. Friday’s festivities also include the Old School/New School DJ Battle presented by Sprite and McDonald’s, featuring DJ Loui Vee, DJ Skillz, culminating in a special performance by legendary DJ Kid Capri.

Comedian and influencer B. Simone will host CIAA Throwback Thursday presented by Novant Health (February 25) and McDonald’s Super Saturday (February 27) featuring national recording artist K. Camp (Money Baby, Comfortable, & Cut Her Off) energizing fans virtually in addition to the UFIT High School Cheerleading Championship, which will showcase some of the top stomp and shake high school cheer squads in the country.

Saturday evening includes a host of talented artists headlined by 13-time Grammy-nominated vocalist Ledisi. The “Pieces of Me” singer will be joined by platinum recording artist Lloyd, singer and award-winning songwriter Eric Bellinger, NAACP Image Award-nominated vocalist Jade Novah, and upcoming R&B/Soul songstress Joyce Wrice.

That same evening, the always popular CIAA Step Show presented by McDonald’s will take center stage virtually, featuring teams from the ‘Divine Nine’ Greek fraternities and sororities and other prominent step teams from across the East Coast.

The CIAA virtual platform is the first of its kind experience for an NCAA athletic conference at any level. Each member institution will have an active presence in the virtual setting with on-site recruiters participating in the CIAA Education Day presented by U.S. Army and Career Expo presented by Toyota, ‘CIAA Clubhouse’ chat rooms, and special programming for their respective alumni, students, and fans.

Visit Baltimore will engage local contributors and businesses on the virtual platform and will provide educational programming for the greater community. They will also celebrate the city of Baltimore, the tournament’s official host city, and everything it offers. For more in-depth details about Visit Baltimore programming can be viewed at baltimore.org/ciaa.

Access to the CIAA Virtual Vibe is free, but registration is required to take part in this unique virtual experience. Early registration is strongly encouraged as space is limited. To register and view the complete schedule of events, visit ciaatournament.org.

For the latest information on the CIAA, visit theciaa.com. You can also like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

Faculty News

Dr. Robert Green II, assistant professor of history, was recently featured in the Post & Courier, the daily newspaper in Charleston, S.C. The article describes how Green’s parents instilled in him a love for reading during his youth which led him to pursue degrees in linguistics, creative writing, and history while in college. Green’s scholarly articles about American History, Black History, and pop culture have appeared in numerous national publications such as The Washington Post, Politico, Current Affairs, The Nation, Jacobin, Dissent, Oxford American, Scalawag, and In These Times. Click here to read the article.

Alumni News

Congratulations to Alan M. Brooks, ’11, whose film “Mr. & Mrs. Ellis” has been nominated for the NAACP Image Award in Outstanding Short-Film (Live Action). Brooks is the writer, producer, and director of the film. “Receiving this nomination from the NAACP Image Awards is such an honor and I am forever grateful to be a part of this year’s nominees,” said Brooks. “Being recognized by my peers who exemplify Black Excellence is an honor in itself.” The 52^nd NAACP Image Awards will air on Saturday, March 27. Click here to view a trailer of the film.

Recently, Dennis Richmond, Jr., ’17, hosted the 5^th Annual: An Intro to HBCUs in Yonkers, NY. “Students need to know about college options,” said Richmond. Especially during a pandemic it’s important that students are aware of their financial stability and how a college can play a role in that,” he said. Richmond is also the founder and director of The New York-New Jersey Historically Black College and University Initiative, which prepares students by exposing them to opportunities only found at HBCUs. Click here to watch a clip of a news report from News12 Westchester on the event.