1. 2 NOVEMBER 16, 2015 THE HILLTOP
C A M P U SThe Hilltop Editorial Office
2251 Sherman Ave. NW
(202) 806-4749
STAFF
TAYLOR TIAMOYO HARRIS
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
EIC@THEHILLTOPONLINE.COM
NILE KENDALL
BUSINESS MANAGER
BUSINESS@THEHILLTOPONLINE.COM
DELORES TERRY
ASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAGER
LEANNA COMMINS
SENIOR COPY CHIEF
SYLVESTER JOHNSON III
ASSISTANT COPY CHIEF
JAZMIN GOODWIN
CAMPUS EDITOR
CAMPUS@THEHILLTPONLINE.COM
WILL FULLER
NEWS EDITOR
NEWS@THEHILLTOPONLINE.COM
DIANDRA BOLTON
VARIETY EDITOR
VARIETY@THEHILLTOPONLINE.COM
NKECHI NNOROM
SPORTS EDITOR
SPORTS@THEHILLTOPONLINE.COM
RISHARA JOHNSON
GRAPHICS DIRECTOR
DESIGN@THEHILLTOPONLINE.COM
CRYSTAL SMITH
PHOTO EDITOR
PHOTO@THEHILLTOPONLINE.COM
WILLIAM FOSTER
MARKETING DIRECTOR
JAILYN ANDERSON
DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION
MALCOLM WILLIAMS
WEB MASTER
COURTESY PHOTO
Gregory Robinson
Contributing Writer
H
oward University junior
political science student
and U.S. Department
of the Interior intern, Chris Hill,
is making sure that the message
of “Brown Lives Matter Too”
is being heard. As the founder
of his own non-profit “Soul of
Nations,” Hill is just beginning
his journey to broadening and
enhancing the educational
opportunities for Native
American youth nationwide.
Soul of Nations’ mission is to
advocate on behalf of Native
American youth who are faced
with limited resources, living
on reservations in downtrodden
communities.
“I started Soul of Nations my
senior year of high school with
a friend of mine after I revisited
the Navajo reservation,” Hill
said. “I had been going on
mission trips with my dad since
elementary school, and my
last trip my senior year in high
school changed my life.
From the ground up, Hill
has built a mechanism that
will provide awareness,
opportunity and change for
the most impoverished Native
Americans. “Soul,” as Hill
refers to it, realized the need
to begin by “[focusing] and
mentoring students who have
creative business endeavors.”
In addition to the previous
efforts of Soul - including
a $5,000 scholarship to a
tribal college student - the
organization recently sponsored
a business professional clothing
drive earlier this month raising
over $7,000 in clothing items.
The goal is to help these
children reimagine their
reality. Through the lens of an
entrepreneurial sprit, Hill plans
to cultivate not only college
graduates, but the next business
leaders of the world.
“We want to focus on students
who have creative business
endeavors. I want the children
on reservations to ‘do.’You
hear a lot about federal and
non-profit organizations who
kind of coddle, but I want to
inspire change. It all starts with
a thought,” Hill said.
Hill and a small team of two
others recently flew to the
Navajo Reservation in New
Mexico and hand delivered the
proceeds to blissful students
who had never owned a pair of
dress clothes prior. The three-
day excursion allowed Soul to
steer its first field project and
is referred to by Hill as “Soul’s
most rewarding feat, yet.”
Howard University French
major and business partner
Darnelle Casimir reflects on her
visit to the Navajo Reservation.
“I am still in awe at the
response from the students,”
Casimir said. “I had hoped that
they would be excited, but they
weren’t just excited - they were
in love.”
Once taken into account the fact
that the percentage of Native
Americans over 25 who have
obtained a Bachelors degree
is less than half of the overall
Native American population,
one might better understand
the dire need for authentic and
relevant support.
President Obama has honed
in on this issue, as well,
by launching Generation
Indigenous, a recognition
that tribal communities thrive
when their youth are safe
and healthy, have access to a
quality education, housing, and
meaningful job opportunities,
and can learn their native
languages and cultures.
”[Native Americans] did their
part to build our nation. They
were the Einsteins and the
Carnegies, but also the men and
women...who built this country
hand by hand, brick by brick,”
Obama said.
But even though the nation’s
first black president is on board,
there is a disparity in African
American support of Native
American communities.
“There are never any blacks
supporting Native American
issues, mostly white people,”
said Hill. “I find it really crazy
because in a way we experience
the same oppression. Not the
trans-atlantic slave trade, but
we were and still are both
oppressed by one race. If more
African Americans helped out,
I think that would be more
impactful.”
Hill’s aim is to bring people
together to provide a voice for
Native American communities
and their youth.
“Our mouths are so powerful.
People call it advocacy, but its
really just spreading the truth.
Being able to bring other people
along is the best part, I have so
much fun. “I know not everyone
is going to dig it, but this is
something that is right. Just not
common.”
“Brown Lives Matter, Too”