The HillTalks

Hello, hello! This week, we will discuss the moments and people that contributed to Howard University's legacy of excellence in 2025. This is an episode you won't want to miss. Tune in wherever you get your podcast! Music: Blue Dot Sessions Production Team: Host & Executive Producer: Zion Williams Producers: Jordan Adkins, Tatiana Allen, Myla Walker

Hello, hello! As homecoming wraps up, we wanted to get a better understanding of how Homecoming not only impacts the Howard community but also the greater D.C. community. This week, we will discuss how local D.C. residents feel about Homecoming and its impact on the way the Howard community and the D.C. community interact with one another. We also sit down with council member of the District of Co...

Hello, hello! This week, we discuss Howard homecoming and how it creates a space for the black community to commune and reconnect with one another at “The Mecca.” HillTalks host, Zion Williams, sat down with Milynda Stewart, a senior political science and communication double major at George Washington University. Stewart is attending Howard homecoming for the first time. This is an ep...

Hello, hello! This week, we discuss how the Trump administration's cuts to environmental projects in the South will affect Howard students and southern communities. We sat down with Adam Tolliver, a sophomore at Howard University from Jackson, Mississippi, along with Nahdia Parks, who is the vice president of Howard University Water and Environment Association (HUWEA) to get a better understanding...

Hello, hello! This week we discuss The International Black Writers Festival at Howard University and how storytelling shapes Black stories. This is an episode you won't want to miss, tune in wherever you get your podcast! Music: Blue Dot Sessions Production Team: Host & Executive Producer: Zion Williams Producers: Yacine Ba, Tatiana Allen

Hello, hello! This week, we discuss the discontinuation of the Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) program funding by the Department of Education. This affects many college students around the country, including Howard students. We sat down with Krista Johnson, Ph. D., she is a professor and outgoing director of the Center for African Studies at Howard University to get an understanding of th...

Hello, hello! This week we discuss the recent threats to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) nationwide. We sit down with Hampton University student, Lathan Dunbar-Keys to understand what safety measures Hampton took to keep students safe. Along with Benjamin Talton, Ph. D., the executive director of the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center and professor in the history department at...

This week we hear from two Howard University students who attended the “We Are All D.C.” march on Saturday, Sept. 6. Make sure to tune in wherever you get your podcast! Music: Blue Dot Sessions Production Team: Host & Executive Producer: Zion Williams Producers: Yacine Ba, Tatiana Allen

Hello, hello! This week we discuss how the removal of food options like Chipotle, Subway and Negril from campus affect Howard students. We sit down with Maryam Muhammad, a student experiencing food insecurity at Howard. We visit Common Good City Farm, a green space that cultivates community through food. Lastly, we speak with Georgetown University professor Yuki Kato, P.h. D, who is an Urban Socio...

Hello, hello! This week, we discuss the resignation of President Ben Vinson III, Ph. D. and the return of Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick as interim president at Howard University. We wanted to gain a better understanding of how current and past Howard students feel about the change in leadership and how the president's role affects Howard students. This is an episode you won't want to miss. Tune in wher...

Hello, hello! This week we discuss how student advocacy culture has changed at Howard University and the role social media plays in how students advocate for one another. We sit down with Taliana Singleton, also known as @dolly4300 on TikTok, a former Howard student who works with “Whose Howard Is It?,” Gwendolyn Jefferson, Ph. D., a Howard alumna who advocated for her community in the...

Hello, hello! Welcome to the first episode of the fourth season of ‘The HillTalks' podcast. I'm glad you could join us. This week, we break down current and past financial aid issues at Howard University. We also turn to Associate Professor Greg Carr, Ph. D., for insight on the situation and what can be done to move forward. Tune in wherever you get your podcasts. Sources: 6 Howard Universit...

More than 100 years ago, 'The Hilltop' was founded by Zora Neale Hurston and Eugene King, and since then, they have created a legacy of exceptional journalists who are committed to informing the community. Here at 'The HillTalks' podcast, we want to continue to contribute to their legacy by producing factual and relevant episodes that help you connect the dots on what's going on! Check out 'The Hi...

Hello, hello! This week we cover HUSA runoff elections, explore where natural remedies fit in modern health care, and highlight the 53rd annual Owen Dodson “Weenie” Awards, where the College of Fine Arts' Department of Theatre Arts students celebrated one another's achievements both on and off the stage with performances, awards and some truly heartfelt moments. Stories Featured : HUSA...

Hello, hello! This week on The HillTalks podcast, we break down Howard's decision to rescind student charges over a Starbucks payment violation, cover the anti‑Trump protest and the Free Gaza rally that drew thousands to Washington, D.C. and explore the developing story of the “Liberation Zone” encampment set up on The Yard. Tune in wherever you get your podcasts. Stories Featured INVE...

Hello, hello! This week, we break down Howard's recent advisory on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids sent via email and examine growing concerns among international students as President Donald Trump's administration revokes student visas. We also speak with immigration attorney and Howard professor Nicole Dillard, who offers legal insights on what to do if ICE appears on campus...

Hello, hello! This week on the HillTalks podcast, we get the inside scoop on how the Howard University student elections ended with an executive order that dismantled the Elections Commission and hear directly from Jay Jones, the 65th HUSA administration president, about what comes next. Show Notes: Music: Blue Dot Sessions Production Team: Host & Executive Producer: Madison Belo Producers: Tr...

Hello, hello. This week, we dive into HU athletics, starting with Darci Khan, former Howard track superstar and valedictorian, making her WWE Evolve debut. We also cover the women's basketball team's historic win and the swimming and diving team's performance at the CSCAA Championships. Stories Covered: Howard Track Superstar and Valedictorian Makes WWE Evolve Debut - The Hilltop Women's Basketbal...

Hello, hello! This week, we speak with Dr. Kimberly Moffitt, a Howard alumna and the new dean of the Cathy Hughes School of Communications. We also take you inside the National Newspaper Publishers Association's Black Press Day at Howard and hear reflections from students who dedicated their spring break to service through Howard's Alternative Spring Break. Tune in! Show Notes: Music: Blue Dot Ses...

Hello, hello, and welcome to this week's Hilltalks Podcast! Today we're joined by Dr. Carmen Johnson—Director of Court Watch and Judicial Accountability (Life After Release) and Co-Founder & Chief Programs and Operations Officer of Helping Ourselves to Transform. She shares insights from her book, “The Pretense of Justice”, dives into her tumultuous battle with the justice sy...

Hello, Hello, This week on “The HillTalks” podcast, We bring you an exclusive interview with Grammy-nominated artist and Howard professor Christie Dashiell as she shares her journey to the Grammys, her unforgettable night, and what's next. Plus, we cover the Nikki Giovanni Read-A-Thon, now cemented as Nikki Giovanni Day at Howard, and examine how Trump's anti-DEI agenda is impacting ma...

Hello, hello, and Happy Black History month! This week on the “HillTalks” Podcast, we break down the BOWSER Act and its potential impact on D.C., then delve into the long-awaited reopening of Founders Library and the Forever Always: Black Love exhibit at the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center. Tune in! Stories Covered: Congress Aims at D.C. Home Rule with New BOWSER Act Proposal - The H...

Hello, hello, and happy Black History Month! In this week's episode of the "HillTalks" podcast, we break down ICE's recent authorizations and recruitment efforts at Howard, explore the evolving role of protest anthems in modern activism, and dive into Howard University's historic achievement as the first HBCU to regain Research One (R1) status. Show Notes: Stories Covered: ICE and CBP Authorized f...

Hello, hello! Happy Black History Month. This week on “The HillTalks” we dive into the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery's tribute to iconic civil rights attorney Fred Gray. Then, we take a tour through the newly renovated Myrtilla Miner Building, a campus landmark with deep ties to Black education. Finally, we break down the political strategy of “flooding the zone”...

In this week's episode of “The HillTalks”, we mourn the loss of incoming Howard University Law professor Kiah Duggins, who tragically died in a mid-air collision. We also dive into the recent federal spending halt—then reversal, while Howard alumni are embroiled in a legal battle with the university. Plus, we celebrate a Howard student's $25,000 scholarship win from alumni Phylic...