#WorldSickleCellDay: Virtual Symposium Examined the Many Dimensions of the Disease |
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The Howard University Center for Sickle Cell Disease commemorated the 8th Annual World Sickle Cell Awareness Day on June 18. The theme of this year’s event was “The Many Dimensions of Sickle Cell Disease.”
The key topics included when to use blood transfusions to treat sickle cell disease, gene therapy, living well with sickle cell disease, and sickle cell disease and college life.
The online symposium featured expert presentations and interactive sessions. A special Q&A session featured Howard University President Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D. MBA, who interviewed NFL great Santonio Holmes Jr., father of Santonio “TJ” Holmes III, who has sickle cell disease. Holmes Jr. is the founder of the III and Long Foundation, an organization dedicated to raising awareness to help fight sickle cell disease and provide financial support and treatment options for families affected by the disease. President Frederick was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia at birth.
Featured speakers from Howard University included James G. Taylor VI, M.D., director of the Howard University as well as Dr. Hugh E. Mighty, M.D., dean of the College of Medicine, and Sergei Nekhai, Ph.D., deputy director, Howard University Center for Sickle Cell Disease. The sponsors of the event were Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics.
Sickle cell disease is the most common genetic disease in the United States and primarily affects African-Americans. It leads to anemia, pain crisis, strokes and other problems. The Center for Sickle Cell Disease, the Howard University College of Medicine and Howard University Hospital, have long served as a major international center for medical care, research and other resources for people with sickle cell disease. The Center for Sickle Cell Disease has participated in every major clinical trial that has led to FDA-approved medications for sickle cell disease treatment.
Join our continued fight for a cure by clicking here.
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Howard University Spring 2021 Magazine is Here!
After more than a year without a new issue, we are excited to unveil and deliver a modernized, reimagined and redesigned Howard Magazine to reflect the forward direction our University is moving.
In this issue, we celebrate fellow Bison Kamala Harris (B.A. ’86) as she became the first woman, first African-American and first South Asian vice president of the United States. Our researchers share how Howard University Hospital’s participation in a COVID-19 vaccine trial helped bridge the divide between the medical community and those hesitant to engage with it. We highlight Bison who are working to diversify their organizations and companies, from the World Bank to Disney’s Pixar Studios, and look at the studies that our faculty and students are researching in artificial intelligence, voting rights, drug addiction and more.
As we have learned in this pandemic, it’s not necessarily the buildings that define Howard, but the people in our Bison community. Though we miss the sounds of “HU! You Know!” echoing across the Yard, we still feel and hear it in our hearts, and we hope we brought that same spirit to the magazine as well.
If you have any ideas, updates, stories, suggestions or feedback, we’d like to hear it. Please feel free to reach out at magazine@howard.edu.
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Howard University Office of Student Life and Activities Hosted Inaugural Lavender Ceremony
On May 19, 2021, Howard University’s Office of Student Life and Activities hosted the 2021 Inaugural Lavender Graduation Ceremony.
The “lavender graduates” are an extraordinary group of students who exemplify academic excellence and resolve.
The celebration, conducted much like a commencement ceremony, was an opportunity for the Howard University community to celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer identifying graduates.
The event featured a keynote address, remarks from faculty and administrators, and a reading of the graduates’ names, pronouns, future plans and proudest moments as Bison.
The inaugural lavender graduates are Imani K. Bryant (pictured), Sydney Stevens, Michael Franklin, Wynter Moore and Kemuel Farmer. They intend to go to graduate school, become entrepreneurs or begin work. In their own way, each of the graduates has advocated for inclusion both on and off campus and in and out of the classroom. Our lavender Bison show us that inclusive spaces are inspiring, necessary and sustained through their tireless efforts.
Keynote Speaker Ravi Perry, Ph.D., (he/him), chair of the political science department, shared an empowering call to action with the inaugural graduates.
“We cannot wait for others to advocate for us,” he said. “We must advocate for ourselves.”
The keynote address celebrated the graduates for who they are and what they will accomplish in the future.
Provost and Chief Academic Officer Anthony Wutoh, Ph.D.; Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Tashni-Ann Dubroy, Ph.D.; and Interim Vice President for Student Affairs Cynthia Evers, Ph.D., extended congratulations and offered advice to the new alumni.
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Howard University Senior Selected for The Undefeated’s 2021-2022 Rhoden Fellowship
Senior Sarah Jones-Smith will be one of six students from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to participate in the fifth class of the Rhoden Fellowship. The 2021-2022 Rhoden Fellowship class began Monday, June 7 and will conclude at the end of the 2021-2022 academic year.
Jones-Smith, from Orange County, California, has written for The Hilltop, Howard University News Service, the Spotlight Network and more. Throughout her time as a Rhoden Fellow, she aims to continue to improve her skills as a young journalist and share stories about the Black experience from various perspectives.
“It is imperative that we have people in media who are committed to telling our stories in accurate, meaningful ways. I strive to be a voice for Black people and highlight our culture the way it should be,” said Jones-Smith, a senior broadcast journalism major.
To learn more about the Rhoden Fellowship, visit The Undefeated: Rhoden Fellows.
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In partnership with the National Black Justice Coalition, the Parent and Family Programs, Student Life and Activities' and Office of Intercultural Affairs will be hosting a parent panel on June 23, 2021, in honor of Pride Month. The panel will discuss how LGBTQ+ Bison can be supported.
To stay informed with events hosted through the Division of Student Affairs, please visit the division’s website.
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The College of Arts and Sciences in collaboration with the Mellon Foundation will kick off an inaugural HU Social Justice Week 2021 from August 2-6. Led by a team of COAS researchers, the Social Justice Consortium was recently granted $5 million from the Mellon Foundation’s Just Futures Program. The theme for this first iteration will focus on criminal justice reform.
For more information, please visit our site here.
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As part of the effort to ensure a safe return to campus, Howard University will host a campus-wide Free COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic Day for employees, faculty, staff, and students on Friday, June 25, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Vaccinations will be free for all Howard University and Howard University family, which encompasses employees, faculty, staff, and students in the region.
Howard University is planning a phased-in return to campus for employees. The phases have been developed based on the current guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the DC Department of Health, as well as a review of other best practices to support the successful reentry of our campus community. Read the full plan here.
Howard University’s pandemic response is built with the goals of Bison S.A.F.E. at heart: Supporting our community; Advocating for high-risk populations; Facilitating ethical, culturally sensitive, and inclusive research; and Educating the public on best practices for safety.
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A Call to Virtual Chapel
Adjusted Summer Schedule
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Please note, chapel services will begin a modified Summer schedule. Until the Fall semester begins, Sunday chapel services will only be available on WHUR. Tune in to share in the chapel experience!
When posting on social media, tag @HowardUChapel and use
For any questions or assistance, please visit our website here or call 202-806-7280.
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To get your events placed in the HU Happenings section, visit our calendar portal, click “submit event” and fill in the necessary information. OUC will select events from this section to also be included in the weekly newsletter.
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If you want to submit content to HU! You Know!, email ouc@howard.edu with the subject line "HU! You Know! Submission.”
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Howard University
2400 Sixth Street NW
Washington, DC 20059
(202) 806-6100
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