{"id":3216,"date":"2017-06-27T18:58:09","date_gmt":"2017-06-27T18:58:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nnpa.org\/dtu\/?p=3216"},"modified":"2018-03-19T12:28:47","modified_gmt":"2018-03-19T12:28:47","slug":"honored-to-join-the-legacy-of-the-black-press","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nnpa.org\/chevydtu\/honored-to-join-the-legacy-of-the-black-press\/","title":{"rendered":"DTU JOURNAL ENTRY 1: HONORED TO JOIN THE LEGACY OF THE BLACK PRESS"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nAlexa Imani Spencer<\/a> (NNPA\/DTU Journalism Fellow)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Earliest this month, I spent two days in Detroit that served as my introduction to the NNPA \u201cDiscover The Unexpected\u201d (DTU) Journalism Fellowship program. The DTU program will be my first professional experience with the Black Press. The trip was unlike any other in my life. It was spiritual. It was moving. In many ways, it was unexpected.<\/p>\n

In our first moment of being united in Detroit, the fellows quickly established a unique and powerful bond. We all attended Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), so it was natural for us to engage in conversation around the presence of Blackness in the media. There was a collective understanding that, as storytellers, we must strive to uplift and amplify our narrative. We owe it to our community to ensure that our truth is heard. Looking around at each of the student scholars, I felt in my spirit just how powerful this program is. It brought together eight young, Black journalists committed to the preservation of our truth. Never before had I been a part of such a force; and this was only the beginning.<\/p>\n

Following the welcome reception, the DTU fellows were sent on a scavenger hunt to different establishments around the city. In teams, we cruised the streets in the new 2018 Chevrolet Equinox, which we will use during the program for transportation to and from assignments. Our last location in the hunt was the Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History. Upon arrival, I gazed at the architecture with a strong sense of d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu; it looked so familiar, yet I was sure I had never been before. Then it hit me. My professor, Dr. Greg Carr, chair of the Afro-American Studies department at Howard University, had urged students to visit the museum in one of his lectures last fall. Ashe (pronounced \u201cAh-shay\u201d), I had finally made it.<\/p>\n

The entire museum was designed to foster a connection between African ancestors and their descendants. The exhibits marked a painful journey in which we are still recovering from\u2014enslavement. We were led by a tour guide from the shores of Africa, through the Middle Passage, and onto American soil. Audio, artifacts, and life-sized mannequins replicated some of the most gruesome aspects of our captivity. Heartache filled the room. Some of us were moved to tears. We held hands, leaned on one another, and gave hugs of support. In exiting the exhibit, I gained a much deeper understanding of what my ancestors went through. Their bodies, minds, and spirits were brutalized. And for that, I owe them my utmost effort toward healing, empowering, and preserving our community.<\/p>\n

The last day of the trip is when I became fully invested in the \u201cDiscover The Unexpected\u201d program. During a meeting held in a conference room at the General Motors (GM) headquarters, representatives of DTU gave speeches, setting expectations and highlighting the importance of the program. Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., the president and CEO of the NNPA, Michelle Alexander, the diversity marketing manager for GM, and Constance R. Thomas, the diversity marketing events coordinator for GM, each reminded us of our duty to the Black Press, to our HBCUs, and above all, to our community. We listened attentively with excitement. Quiet and eager, I pledged in my mind to put my very, best foot forward for the next two months. It\u2019s an honor to be joining the legacy of the Black Press in its 190th year. I will add to it, only with pride and positivity, as I \u201cdiscover the unexpected.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alexa Imani Spencer is a 2017 NNPA \u201cDiscover The Unexpected\u201d Journalism Fellow and a student at Howard University. This summer, Alexa is writing for The Washington Informer, a member newspaper of the NNPA. Follow Alexa on Twitter @Alexa_Imani<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Alexa Spencer is a sophomore at Howard University. In her few years on campus, Alexa has covered the Obama Administration as part of White House Press Pool for the Thomson Reuters news agency and she has also reported for The Hilltop student newspaper. Most recently, she interned at ABC 7 Investigative News. Alexa has emerged as a promising investigative journalist. She currently serves as a member of The Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting, Investigative Reporters and Editors, and the National Press Photographers Association. As a DTU Fellow, she intends to find new roads to help the African American community continue to move forward.<\/p>\n

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Facebook<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_social_media_follow_network][et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network=”twitter” url=”https:\/\/twitter.com\/AlexaImani” skype_action=”call” bg_color=”#00aced”]<\/p>\n

Twitter<\/p>\n

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Instagram<\/p>\n

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The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) kicked off the second year of the \u201cDiscover The Unexpected\u201d (DTU) Journalism Fellowship program with an \u201cImmersion\u201d event in Detroit, Mich. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3220,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"

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Darrell Larome Williams<\/a> (NNPA\/DTU Journalism Fellow)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox should be in every neighborhood across the country. Chevrolet has continued to develop advanced vehicles to meet the needs of a diverse group of drivers and their different lifestyles. It was love at first sight, when the National Newspaper Publishers Association\u2019s (NNPA) \u201cDiscover The Unexpected\" (DTU) fellows saw the SUV in person. After being introduced to all of its technology features and design functions, we drove the Equinox for the entire day to experience them ourselves.<\/p>[caption id=\"attachment_3154\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"400\"]\"\" The all-new 2018 Chevrolet Equinox is a fresh and modern SUV sized and designed to meet the needs of the compact SUV customer. Its expressive exterior has an all-new, athletic look echoing the global Chevrolet design cues seen on vehicles such as the Cruze, Bolt EV and Trax.<\/span>[\/caption]

This is the third generation of the Equinox and Chevrolet improved the design, safety and technology features, and overall performance of this vehicle. The third-generation model of the Equinox has been \u201cmade for everybody\u201d as Chevrolet states, but singles, young families, and \u201cempty nesters\u201d would especially enjoy the versatility and design. Creative planners and drivers that are budget conscious might also find the Equinox\u2019s many technical features enticing. The Equinox would also be a great fit for college students or recent graduates, as well. Depending on the needs and wants of the driver, Chevrolet has created four different models of the Equinox (L, LS, LT model and Premier). I was able to drive and experience the Premier and I was extremely satisfied with the performance of the vehicle.<\/p>

I was immediately impressed with the vibrant and tasteful color of the orange burst metallic color of the exterior with chrome accents on both the inside and outside of the vehicle. The keyless open and start feature was a nice addition. The engine is so quiet, that you can easily forget that the car is still running. The smooth leather interior seating, steering wheel, and dashboard were the perfect touch to the style of the vehicle and added to its sophistication. The clean and crisp Equinox display also caught my attention as the product specialist assisted me with connecting my Samsung phone to the car with Android Auto.<\/p>

Connecting to Android Auto allowed me to:<\/p>