� Howard University Department of English
Virtual First-Year Writing Program Student Research Symposium
Theme: “Letters, Legacies, and Liberation: Voices of the First-Year Writing Program” � Friday, November 14, 2025 | � 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. EST � Virtual Event Zoom
Link: https://howard.zoom.us/j/82971859413?pwd=vdbl2yLfnxrAoQRjk5URKoAypEv798.1
Meeting ID: 829 7185 9413 Passcode: 88591634
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Welcome and Opening Remarks (8:45 a.m.)
MAIN BALLROOM
Dr. Susan Mockler and Dr. Rebecca Boylan Co-Coordinators for the Research Symposium
Dr. Monique L. Akassi
Director, First-Year Writing Program, Department of English
Howard University
Dr. Carole Boyce-Davies
Department Chair, Department of English
Howard University � Symposium Schedule Overview
Each “Ballroom” represents a virtual Zoom breakout room, hosted and moderated by Howard University faculty.
All attendees will begin in the Main Ballroom at 8:45 a.m. for greetings, then proceed to assigned panels.
PANEL PRESENTATIONS 9:00 A.M. 10:00 A.M.
BALLROOM A
LETTERS TO ALFONSO ~ SAY THEIR NAME (Ballroom A)
Moderator: Dr. Susan Mockler
Todd Muhammad “The Curiosity of A Black Man in I Am Alfonso Jones. ” (Boylan)
Karen Arvelo “Until Tragedy Strikes in I Am Alfonso Jones. ” (Boylan)
Morgan Hooks “Letters To Alfonso Jones.” (Mockler)
BALLROOM B
LETTERS TO DANETTA ~ THE SURVIVING GIRLFRIEND
Moderator: Chloe Eason
Alana Watts (Mockler)
Zoe Hamilton (Mockler)
Chloe Eason (Mockler)
Zyan Watson (Mockler)
BALLROOM C
MULTIMODAL RESEARCH PROJECTS ON I AM ALFONSO JONES IN COMPARISON TO THE #BLACKLIVESMATTER ERA
Moderator: Dr. Monique L. Akassi
Adjoa Addo “A Comparative Analysis of I Am Alfonso Jones to Two Distant Strangers.” (Akassi)
Micah Bell “What The World Sees: Three Comparative Stories of Black Life and Loss ” (Akassi)
Kennedi Love “Racial Injustice and Identity: A Comparative Analysis of I Am Alfonso Jones and Emmett Till.” (Akassi)
Aia Wiley “A (Re)Examination of I Am Alfonso Jones and the Effects of Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome.” (Akassi)
PANEL PRESENTATIONS 10:00 AM 11:00 AM
BALLROOM A
LETTERS TO THE POLICE/CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Moderator: Dr. Ashley Plack O'Donnell
Anita Morgan “Threat Perception: The Lie That Kills” (Boylan)
Deja Roseman “How Might Processing Racism Resist Its Power?” (Boylan)
Dennis Haskin "A Protest ” (Boylan)
BALLROOM B
LETTERS TO THE POLICE/CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Moderator: Dr. Monique L. Akassi
Trinity Diamond (Mockler)
Bre-Andon Gardner (Mockler)
Kingsley Appiah (Mockler)
Liliana Zepada (Mockler)
Makena Toldson (Mockler)
BALLROOM C
LETTERS TO THE POLICE/CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Moderator: Jate Kamoze
Jordan Dease-Medley (Mockler)
Mariyah Rhone (Mockler)
Jate Kamoze (Mockler)
Julianna Queen (Mockler)
Kelsi Martin-Yeboah (Mockler)
PANEL PRESENATIONS 11:00 AM 12:00 PM
BALLROOM A
HONORING ANCESTORS AND RECOGNIZING THE AFTERLIFE
Moderator: Essence Fowler
Aubrey Morrison “Advocates For The Afterlife.” (Boylan)
Essence Fowler (Mockler)
Nigel Shoyoye, “Who Gets To Tell The Story.” (Ohno-Machad)
Benjamin Stone II, “The Black American Church and Trap Music.” (Ohno-Machad)
Alexander Torain, “Musical Escapology: African American Music as Escape from Cultural Prisons ” (OhnoMachad)
BALLROOM B
TOXIC MASCULINITY/BLACK FEMINISM
Moderator: Dr. Monique L. Akassi
Lindsey Ponder “Blue Boys Don’t Cry: Exploring Emotions and Toxic Black Masculinity in Moonlight and Caribbean Spaces ” (Hickson)
Jasmine Vaughn “A Literary Analysis of the Black Feminist Statement.” (Williams)
Nile Randolph "This is what power looks like" One Battle After Another, Caribbean Spaces, and Black Women's Sexuality ” (Hickson)
Lena Hamilton "Education: The Achilles Heel of Trump's America." (Williams)
BALLROOM C
WHAT’S GOING ON I (Ballroom C)
Moderator: Dr. Thomas Ohno-Mached
Ryann Whiting-Williams, “Still Asking What's Going On ” (Ohno-Machad)
Leila Khademian, “Thirteen Dancing Suns: A Look at the Iranic Diaspora's New Year.” (Ohno-Machad)
Evelyn Ebisike, “Lost in Translation: High Context vs. Low-Context Cultures.” (Ohno-Machad)
Micayla Dupree “From Food Deserts to Racial Injustice ” (Plack O’Donnell)
Blen Kifle " Brilliant Blen's Podcast: Redefining Society.” (Boylan)
BALLROOM D
WHAT’S GOING ON II
Moderator: Dr. Ashley Plack O'Donnell
Raki Boyer ““PTSD Is Not Always Bad ” (Boylan)
Graham Lathan “Fighting the Labels. Living the Truth.” (Boylan)
Chantal Francis “D.C. Family Truths: Maternal and Infant Mortality Rates.” (Plack O’Donnell)
Acire Davis “Illumination from the Black Perspective.” (Miller)
PANEL PRESENTATIONS FROM 12:00 PM-1:00 PM
BALLROOM A
LETTERS TO SURVIVING CARETAKERS I
Moderator: Christine Eriamiatoe
Christine Eriamiatoe "The Need for Truth and Change In the Broken System in I Am Alfonso Jones. ” (Boylan)
Aissata Sene “A Letter to The Ill Fated in I Am Alfonso Jones” (Boylan)
Ryan Laurie “Letters To Surviving Caretakers” (Mockler)
Christopher Badger “Letters “ (Mockler)
Avery Sinkler “Letters of Strength.” (Mockler)
BALLROOM B
LETTERS TO SURVIVING CARETKERS II
Moderator: Arthur Walker
Julia Mackey (Mockler)
Arthur Walker (Mockler)
Austen McKee (Mockler)
Arial Carmichael (Mockler)
BALLROOM C
RE-IMAGINING THE BLACK STORY I
Moderator: Professor Thomas Ohno-Mached
Meleia Williams “Breaking the Lie: From Criminalized to Creative." (Boylan)
Randi Ebronfrails “Unscripted Agency.” (Boylan)
Morgan Boykin “Mor-gram: Interpretations of Black Fashion ” (Boylan)
Vance Tyree “A Letter to An Old Friend.” (Boylan)
Ryann Whiting-Williams (Ohno-Machad)
BALLROOM D
RE-IMAGINING THE BLACK STORY II
Moderator: Dr. Monique L. Akassi
Joseph Tabe “Reclaiming the Narrative: Black Voices and Liberation Through Streetwear Culture ” (Plack O’Donnell)
Damond Davis (Mockler)
Jayon Samuels (Boylan)
Laila Morrison “Superfine Style Dismantles the Lie that Haunts Black Americans.” (Boylan)
Nayjah Mickens “Dismantling the Lie to Expose the Truth in I Am Alfonso Jones.” (Boylan)
Aniah Mason “The Dismantled Truth of Black Success. ” (Boylan)
� Closing Reflection (1:00 p.m.)
Dr. Monique L. Akassi
Director, First-Year Writing Program
“Today’s presentations remind us that writing is not merely composition it is liberation. Every voice shared today contributes to a collective legacy of intellectual and creative courage.”