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This semester had high hopes. I had just traveled back from Europe the first day of the semester. I got off the plane and into the car to DC, to start my first day of class for my sophomore year spring semester. I had so much fun over break that I was excited to begin a semester of new classes and get a fresh start academically. Classes began and I very quickly became intrigued by the assignments in my Visual Communications class. We were doing photo projects, interactive digital learning and I loved it. I went from writing essays and solving equations to hands on learning and experience in my classes, catered to my career goals. 

However, spring rolled around and Rona had other plans. Spring break approached and conversations about classes being moved online temporarily approached because of the virus. I was not prepared mentally for what was to come after spring break. Classes were moved online, and we were told that we had to vacate campus for the remainder of the semester. Life changed for us as we knew it. 

I was already having trouble this semester after having surgery and complications. I was finally starting to get the hang of my classes. My health was better and So being sent home and off campus was a big setback for me. I had plans to go to the counseling center and was in the process of starting a new internship. However, life must go on, so it was time to buckle up and adapt to the new lifestyle. 

Dr. Patton did a great job adjusting to the new online class environment. She made it easy and accessible when giving lectures and made sure we still completed and learned the vital things from our syllabus which was helpful and much appreciated. I was relieved that I had at least one class that wasn’t more difficult once moved online. 

I may have missed a few assignments but I am proud of the work I have done in this class and the things I have learned. I feel like my portfolio is stronger and my resume has a key element that was missing before. I will use the things I have learned in this class in my future career endeavors. Gratitude.

“Are you kidding me right now???,,,over Bernie Sanders???” Flavor Flav spoke out against his group Public Enemy for being fired after 35 years.

.@MrChuckD are you kidding me right now???,,,over Bernie Sanders??? You wanna destroy something we've built over 35 years OVER POLITICS???,,,all because I don't wanna endorse a candidate,,,I'm very disappointed in you and your decisions right now Chuck,,,

— FLAVOR FLAV (@FlavorFlav) March 2, 2020

William Drayton Jr. famously known as Flavor Flav, is known for his presence in the group Public Enemy as the hype man. He took to twitter to tell his heartfelt side of the story about being fired.

Public Enemy was scheduled to perform at a Bernie Sanders rally in LA on February 28, 2020. The Sanders campaign has promised to “fight the power” with Public Enemy, and Chuck D, a cofounder of the group has endorsed the candidate.

The group decided to let Flavor Flav go after he sent a cease and desist letter to the Sanders campaign. The letter released by his lawyers explicitly states that endorsing Bernie Sanders is not something Flavor Flav is interested in.

The letter states that, “Those who truly know what Public Enemy stands for know what time it is, there is no Public Enemy without Flavor Flav.” It is made clear that the endorsement by Chuck D. does not represent the group but instead

Flavor Flav tells twitter that he only asked the Sanders campaign to correct misleading marketing that does not represent his views.

For this assignment in Visual Communications, we were told to go immerse ourselves in nature and capture 6 photos of what we find. Living in DC, or any metropolitan city, makes it hard to experience and sit with nature on a daily or even weekly basis. I find that the daily hustle and bustle in combination with the bubble of living on Howard University’s campus limits my contact with nature. However, the need and desire to just be at peace with the earth and its sprouts is always there. 

The closest I ever get to being in nature is sitting on the yard in what we call the “smoker’s corner”. I’m sure you can infer what that means. While I don’t mind it, it isn’t always pleasant and can disrupt the purpose of my being on the yard. So, it was nice to try and discover some new parts of DC where there is a little more greenery and less concrete. I walked around campus but also decided to visit a friend at Catholic University where they are closer to Maryland and have more green spaces. 

I was surprised by the number of spots I found with beautiful plants and flowers. I had a chance to really pull myself out of the seasonal depression onset by the cold winter and fluctuation of weather in DC. I captured some vibrant images but also some more detailed photos that require a little more thinking. I am pleased with the quality of the photos. 

A significant part of my project is the last 2 photos that I decided to compare. They really surprised me and hopefully if ever on campus in the next few days or weeks you’ll be able to see exactly what trees I am referring to and their stark contrast. 

https://animoto.com/play/1it7TFWZHl0rO5bPCV5qxA

For my Animoto Project assignment, I decided to tell a story through a tutorial. I chose to display my nighttime face routine with in depth description of some of the products I use and how I use them. I hope this video helps a viewer and gives some knowledge on healthy practices for your skin!

Do you ever consider how the things you see around you effect your thoughts? Before coming to Howard and taking media studies classes, I didn’t. Most of us go through our daily lives seeing thousands of images a day and our brain quickly stores them in a vault in the back of our mind for us to think about or use later. Subconsciously, those images influence the way we live our daily lives from the things we say, do, or buy to how we receive other images. Vision means the power of seeing with your eyes.

Vision is the most prominent sense for how sighted people perceive the world and as a result, it is integral to the way we intake information. The things we see and how they appear process differently for everyone. What stood out the most to me in class was how even when I am staring at something like an image full of dozens of people, my brain is trained to focus on one specific element or area of that photo which is different for everybody. This photo of Dr. King surrounded by his audience is an excellent example of seeing so many things at once and your brain fixating on something particular to you. In this photo my brain automatically sees the woman with the hat on standing next to King with her head cocked to the side. As I view this image of the woman and her facial expression, everything else in the photo seems to be out of focus. This picture is more than likely seen in a very different light for others.

This also brings me to emotion and expression. Being able to see and read people’s facial expressions and body language is an important part of human connection. As a journalist, it is important to not lose sight of that human connection when in the field. Whether it is interviewing, capturing photos, or recording, it is our job to actively engage with the way sight effects our message. Working on the photo project this weekend and trying to capture emotions like interest and awkwardness taught me that to see is to be attentive. You cannot simply look for things happening around you, you have to actively observe and pay attention to detail.

I asked a few of my classmates, “what does vision mean to you?” I got one particular response that sums up what I have learned in my Visual Communications class so far. Privilege. Being able to view the various colors and shaped of the world and everything that inhabits it is something never to be taken for granted. It is common to describe eyes as the window into one’s soul. I would describe eyes as the window into the world.