Latest news with #LeahBarlow
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
15 Moments That Proved Why This Black History Month Was Black AF
One thing is absolutely for certain, President Donald Trump was NEVER going to get in the way of Black folks celebrating Black History Month. However, this February in particular just felt... eeeextra Black. You feel me? Typically, Black History Month is flooded with small history lessons, remembering our ancestors and prominent leaders as well as acknowledging the Black firsts of every category of life. However, what made this month special were the series of events that occurred that shined a light on how brilliant (and gangsta) the Black community is. From amazing celebrity wins and performances to local residents showing up and showing out, this Black History Month has been Black AF! Keep scrolling to see 15 moments to remember from this year's celebration. In the first few days of Black History Month, a group of neo-Nazi's marched with their swastika flags onto the bridge floating above Interstate 75 in Cincinnati so that every driver could see their emboldened hate, per KEPR TV. Once the Black residents caught wind of it, not only did they confront them and demand they leave but they also snatched up their flags and set them ablaze. They found out exactly who they were taunting that day. We understand there's some drama surrounding the #HillmanTok University trend but let's acknowledge how powerful it was when it started! Thanks to a TikTok from Dr. Leah Barlow, a professor of Intro to African American Studies class at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Black people were inspired to create their own HBCU online. The trend connected hundreds of thousands of educators across a wide variety of subjects to TikTok users with 10-minute, information-packed mini lectures. This trend was not only proof of how educated our community is but how powerful we can be if we put our minds together. 'They used say I spoke too country. Then the rejection came, said I wasn't country 'nough,' sang Beyoncé in her intro track to 'Cowboy Carter.' Not only was her album a statement about reclaiming space in music genres that Black people invented but it was a jab at her previous experience at the CMA's, where she was met by a stiff neck crowd who believed she didn't deserve to be there. Why? Because she's Black. Jokes on them! 'Cowboy Carter' took home a Grammy for Album of The Year becoming the second Black woman to do so and Best Country Album, becoming the first Black woman to do so. Kendrick Lamar's single 'Not Like Us' was not just a single obliterating rap rival Drake but it was a message about cultural appropriation in Hip Hop. The song transcended its catchy tune into commercials, music videos, an epic west coast Juneteenth celebration and more. The song's influence landed four Grammys this year for Best Rap Song, Best Song, Best Music Video and Best Rap Performance. Everyone present for the award show couldn't help but bop to it every time Kendrick went up to grab his trophy. Speaking of Lamar, can we talk about how gangsta this Super Bowl performance was? 'The revolution bouta be televised. You picked the right time but the wrong guy,' the rapper bellowed in the introduction to his performance. His set was packed with symbolism almost as if he wanted y'all to keep talking about it after it was over. Samuel Jackson's chilling narrations as 'Uncle Sam,' an all Black dance team making up the colors of the American flag, Serena Williams crip-walking on Drake's grave, calling out the unfulfilled promise of giving Black folks 40 acres and a mule all in front of President Donald Trump?! - I mean, he proved why he won that Pulitzer. As we continue of the topic of the Super Bowl, let's congratulate this majority-Black team for their epic win. They swatted away questions about President Trump's presence at the game, WHOOPED the Kansas City Chiefs by the second quarter and took home the win. Not only did they win, Philadelphia won. Despite being on the losing team for the Super Bowl, this once in a lifetime opportunity was a true blessing for DeAndre Hopkins. Before professional football, he was the son to a mother who was the survivor of an acid attack, Sabrina Greenlee. Amidst her struggle to recover, he went as far as saving her from taking her own life, Greenlee told The Root. Even before the Super Bowl, he contemplated if football was even for him until he received the blessing of being drafted to the Kansas City Chiefs. They might have lost but Hopkins still had a win. Where do we even begin? Onijah Robinson took over the internet after flying to Pakistan to marry a 19-year-old man she fell in love with online, per The Express Tribune. However, when the man's family took him into hiding on her arrival, Robinson refused to leave. Instead, via various local interviews, she demanded money, land and a flight back home to New York. Her northeast attitude in a foreign place had social media users both entertained and worried for her. Reports say on her way back to the U.S., she was detained in Dubai. Though, we don't really know where she is now. The only other women to receive a Grammy for Best Rap Album were Lauryn Hill and Cardi B, who presented the award for Florida-native rapper Doechii. Ever since the drop of her album 'Alligator Bites Never Heal,' Doechii has been getting win after win including but not exclusive to landing a feature with Tyler the Creator, collab with Issa Rae and a viral performance on 'The Late Show.' She deserves all of her flowers! Democratic Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett has been calling out the BS from the Trump administration. However, her voice has become even louder when holding the president accountable of things such as his bogus war on diversity, equity and inclusion or allowing Elon Musk to do whatever he pleases in the makeshift Department of Government Efficiency. In her interviews this month with The Breakfast Club and The Root, she told it like it is. Unfortunately, she may be one of the only legislators doing so. Not every hero wears a cape. In this case, the hero was a 10-year-old boy in Philadelphia who went out of his way to save his younger sister the moment a medical plane crashed in the city. He moved his 4-year-old sister out of the way so she wouldn't get hit with the debris from the plane. Instead, he suffered a critical injury to the head after being struck with a piece of metal. We're praying for his recovery as he remains in critical condition, per 6 Action News. What a great month for Hip Hop. A$AP Rocky was looking at some serious time in the aggravates assault case against him. A former friend accused the rapper of shooting him back in 2021, dragging A$AP to trial. Once the jury came back with a not guilty verdict, the rapper melted into joy, climbing over the benches to hug his girlfriend and singer Rihanna. Fans were relieved after holding their breath for weeks of trial. It's her time to shine. Zaya Wade's big break out happened this month as she covered the face of Seventeen Magazine. The 17-year-old received criticism from a young age for being into dresses and makeup as a boy. The now-trans girl is making a name for herself with her new identity and boldly stepping forward despite the challenges facing her. DJ Mustard didn't just receive hype for producing 'Not Like Us,' he also received a rather obnoxious shoutout from Kendrick Lamar on his song 'tv off' where he screams, 'MUSTAAAAAARRRDDDDDD.' Naturally, Heinz nudged the music producer to take part in a cheeky collaboration. Remember the Black church in Washington, D.C. that the Proud Boys vandalized during the 2020 protests? Well, a superior court judge granted the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church right to the trademark of the far-right conservative group's name. Now, the group is banned from selling merch with their name or symbol on it without the church clearing it first. They can also seize any profits from the sales as well. Sweet, sweet revenge. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Viral NC A&T State University professor starts TikTok trend
GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) — An NC A&T State University assistant professor became a viral sensation by posting a class syllabus and starting a TikTok trend. NC A&T Assistant Professor Dr. Leah Barlow posted a short TikTok outlining her course on Jan. 20. 'I have traditional and non-traditional students, so I wanted a way to reach out to all 35 of them,' Barlow said. Without any hashtags on the video, it reached more than 4 million people. 'I was shocked. I was ready to delete the page. I was a little bit horrified. I decided to delete the page. I privated the page and then decided to get back on,' Barlow said. The demand she speaks of is from the people in her comment section from around the world. So Barlow kept on posting videos for her now 500,000 followers to keep them informed along with her actual students. Her content eventually inspired other Black and brown educators, especially those who work at HBCUs to do the same, giving birth to the Hillmantok trend. 'Hillman is of course a fictional institution from the show 'A Different World'.' Part of the trend is … showing their expertise from gardening to knitting to chemistry and to what I do, which is teaching African American Studies,' Barlow said. It's a trend she's glad to have started and hopes other educators help her continue. 'It's a wonderful opportunity for people to provide free education … which we love,' Barlow said. After starting the Hillmantok trend, Barlow says it caught the attention of those who run the social media app. She was invited to HBCUNight at a Washington Wizards game. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
