The debate over whether hip hop music negatively influences youth today continues. In an upcoming discussion forum at Dillard University (DU), men and women will share their insights into how this musical genre portrays women. Dillard University will host “Does Hip-Hop Hate Women? A Conversation About Sex, Love and Gender Politics in Today’s Pop Culture” on Wednesday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. in the Georges Auditorium of the Professional Schools Building. Taking place in a town-hall-style meeting, the gathering will be conducted by leading hip-hop intellectuals. However, everyone is invited to attend and to participate in the free event.

Panelists will include: Bakari Kitwana, author of “The Hip Hop Generation: Young Blacks and the Crisis in African American Culture”; Joan Morgan, author of “When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost: My Life as a Hip Hop Feminist”; Mark Anthony Neal, professor of African and African American studies at Duke University; Treva Lindsey, assistant professor of women’s and gender studies at the University of Missouri; Marc Lamont Hill, host of the show “Our World with Black Enterprise”; and Akiba Solomon, a journalist with the news website Color Lines. Kevin Griffin of the New Orleans collective 2-Cent Entertainment will preside.

“It’s important that we consistently engage in dialogue about the ways women and men are portrayed in our society,” said event organizer Michael Wilson, an instructor of African world studies at Dillard University. “And by using hip-hop as the vehicle to drive this discussion, students will be able to directly and critically think about visual literacy, identity, black masculinity, homophobia, perceptions of women, and how they overlap in media and public policy debates.”

The event is part of a series called “Rap Sessions: Community Dialogues on Hip-Hop” that has been held at Brown University, Harvard Law School, the University of Chicago and other schools. The panel aims to examine the tensions and animosities between young men and women that some hip-hop music exacerbates, and to present youth with viable strategies they can implement in their personal lives and organizations.

The Department of African World Studies and the Office of the President at Dillard University are sponsoring the event, along with Rap Sessions and 2-Cent Entertainment. A reception with refreshments will follow the discussion.

On Wednesday, September 12 2012, at 12 noon, Dillard University's VisionQuest will begin its "Message in the Middle" series once again. This month's speaker, William Emmanuel Hall, hails from Chicago, IL and promises to deliver a powerful message for youth of today.

William Emmanuel Hall is a man who loves all people, and is dedicated to serving those in need. Growing up on the Southside of Chicago, Halll has witnessed the frustrations of ordinary people trying to make progress. Since the age of four, William has lived out his commitment to uplifting, defending, restoring the poor and the truth.

Hearing the cries of mothers as they bury their children, while feeling the pain of poor kids of color, led Hall to take one year away from his studies to start “CommuniGize”. CommuniGize is a means to solve problems facing our next generation of leaders. William has spent ample time serving the next generation of leaders as a teacher, pastor, mentor, and big brother. He has also started the "Acts of Love" campaign giving books to school age children across the country teaching them the value of education and the value of a gift.

Hall wants to help youth all across the world. He desires to establish wells of resources to replenish the hearts and minds of empty youth. In 2007, William completed his BA in Economics from DePaul University, in addition to a minor in religious studies, and has completed a Masters of Divinity at McCormick Theological Seminary. He has worked in both parish ministry and campus ministry. He currently is on staff at Apostolic Church of God and lives in Chicago, Illinois.

Just as the good book says, Hall strongly believes everyday, if he can just help somebody, then his living is not in vain.

“The Zeitgeist Chronicles” by local playwright Stephen Montagne, will premiere at Dillard’s Samuel DuBois Cook Performing Arts Center on Saturday, September 15, 2012 at 8:00 p.m., and run through September 29. Four years after one of the most remarkable events in American and global history, the timely world premiering play revisits the “Change” election of 2008.

In three acts, the play presents the stories of an Alabama-born progressive reporter/staunch Hillary Clinton supporter (played by Jennifer Schemke) in Los Angeles who interviews her reformed racist uncle (Ray Vrazel) now campaigning for Barack Obama; four comedians in New York, including a 25-year-old, Mormon standup comedian (Taylor McClellan) and his Rat Pack era mentor (Janet Shea) who now lives in a retirement home; and several generations of a New Orleans African-American family (Martin “Bats” Bradford, Kari Cojoe, Robert Doqui, Spencer Howard, Damien Moses) trying to keep its elderly patriarch alive through the November 2008 election. These generationally, politically and racially diverse viewpoints will have audiences talking all the way to the voting booth.

Featuring a 13-member cast of all-local talent, the fast-moving production follows three multi-generational storylines that ultimately collide as the United States elects its first African-American president. The three-weekend run includes Thursday, Friday and Saturday night performances, along with previews on Tuesday, September 11 and Wednesday, September 12.

Dillard faculty and alumni participate in this production in many capacities. Alumni Martin "Bats" Bradford and Kari Cojoe star in the new production. Assistant Professor of Theater Ray Vrazel also plays an important role in the production.

“The Zeitgeist Chronicles” production is working with actors, artists, activists, athletes, musicians, political figures, film makers, and other celebrities to lend their voices in raising awareness to the resiliency of New Orleans, the need for supporting the arts, and the importance of participating in the political process.

Tickets are available now online at https://.zeitgeistchronicles.com. The site also includes complete cast and crew list and preview video directed by San Francisco-based filmmaker Will Harper.

Watch DU Chair of Humanities, Cortheal Clark, discuss "The Zeitgeist Chronicles" in this video.

On Monday, August 27, 2012 Dillard University (DU) students and staff boarded buses for Centenary College in Shreveport, La as part of the DU evacuation plan. Hurricane Issac made landfall on Wednesday, August 29, on the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

Centenary College was a gracious host and is forever endeared by the Dillard community.

Six days later, tired but excited students returned to the DU campus and back to their dorms and residences.

Thanks to everyone involved who helped make this a memorable beginning!