UDC student attends White House briefing with Vice President Harris and Keisha Lance Bottoms

UDC student attends White House briefing with Vice President Harris and Keisha Lance Bottoms

UDC student attends White House briefing with Vice President Harris and Keisha Lance Bottoms

 

Asha Moore-Smith (third row, right in pink blazer) with fellow HBCU journalists at the White House event.

Asha Moore-Smith (third row, right in pink blazer) with fellow HBCU journalists at the White House event.

 

Digital media major Asha Moore-Smith (’23) represented UDC at the exclusive White House HBCU student press briefing in Washington, DC, on February 23. The event was hosted by Keisha Lance Bottoms, senior advisor to the President for Public Engagement, and featured a visit from Vice President Kamala Harris. The Biden-Harris administration organized the briefing in support of historically Black colleges and universities.

Student journalists representing 47 HBCUs were invited to attend and were required to submit a question and discussion topic of their choice before the briefing. Questions ranged from HBCU funding, policies to ensure international students at Black colleges aren’t left behind, and concerns in their communities. Moore-Smith chose the issue of environmental justice to inquire about the administration’s initiatives to help eradicate environmental racism.

“Although I did not have the opportunity to ask my question, I’m thankful for White House Director of African American Media Erica Loewe,” Moore-Smith said. “She is helping to make room for HBCU media students to engage in Q & A’s with White House officials about the issues that matter most to us.”

“In addition to the press briefing itself, I especially enjoyed meeting other intergenerational Black media professionals in the making who are passionate and determined to use their voices in ways that can cause a positive paradigm shift.”