The Sway | September 2026

Bison Trailblazers | Beyond the Hidden Curriculum: Dr. Tamanika Ferguson on Black Feminism, Mentorship, and Reclaiming Power

by Anna De Cheke Qualls | For Dr. Tamanika Ferguson, the path to academic excellence and public scholarship did not begin in the quiet, manicured suburbs or the hallowed preparatory halls that often feed into elite universities. Instead, her story is rooted deeply in the vibrant, complex, and often unforgiving environment of the South Bay area of Los Angeles. Growing up in the Normont Terrace Housing Projects, she was immersed in a reality that demanded acute awareness and rapid maturation. “I grew up in the South Bay area of Los Angeles, in the Normont Terrace Housing Projects, where I learned early that life could harden you fast,” she recalls. Her formidable intellect was shaped not by a traditional curriculum, but by a profound duality that required her to navigate vastly different worlds simultaneously.

Word to the Wise | From the Tarmac to the Campus: A Blueprint for Howard Scholars Turning Research into Reality

by Anna De Cheke Qualls | Carl E. Brown, Jr who currently serves as the State/Executive Director of the District of Columbia Small Business Development Center (DCSBDC) located at Howard, has dedicated over four decades to small business development and economic empowerment. His journey began in Rochdale Village in Jamaica, Queens, New York, a highly competitive, mixed-race community that taught him early lessons about discipline, resilience, and personal accountability. From starting a paper route delivering the Long Island Press six days a week at just twelve years old, to designing and selling jewelry, and even selling mixtapes as a disc jockey, Brown learned that success is rarely accidental.

Bison Trailblazers | The Storyteller’s Sanctuary: Jasmine M. Ellis and the Power of the Narrative

by Anna De Cheke Qualls | For Howard University alumna Jasmine M. Ellis, the journey to becoming a premier historian and entrepreneur was forged in the intersection of professional excellence and personal sanctuary. As a seasoned journalist who has contributed to prestigious outlets like Slate Magazine, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and WHYY, Ellis has spent her career intentionally centering the lives of Black women and girls. Today, through her venture Willow x Arch, she is transforming that lifelong mission into a global movement.

Word to the Wise | Forecasting Change: How Jaren Smith is Redefining the Face of Broadcast Meteorology

By Anna De Cheke Qualls | For Jaren Smith, the journey to becoming a broadcast meteorologist wasn’t mapped out by traditional means. It took a village, a detour through athletics and education, and an unwavering commitment to his hometown of Dayton, Ohio, to realize a dream sparked in middle school.

Today, as he graduates with a Master’s degree in Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology from Howard, Smith is not just stepping into a new on-air role in Texas—he is making history.