Madison Belo working during “print night” at The Hilltop office.
(Keith Golden Jr./The Hilltop)
Howard is nothing like I thought. I joined The Hilltop quite unorthodoxly during my junior year. I showed up at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library for the Centennial Editors’ Fireside Chat, notebook in hand and adrenaline pumping, determined to track down the podcast host whose voice had left a mark on me.
During the chat, an editor in chief from the 1960s shared that she joined The Hilltop not for prestige but because she was genuinely concerned about the present and future of Black people. Her words struck a chord with me because I’d felt that same concern growing during my time at Howard. After the chat, I bounded up to Juan Benn Jr., the then multimedia editor, and told him I wanted to learn everything about producing and hosting the publication’s podcast, “The HillTalks.”
Despite my pre-law track being devoid of formal journalism classes, I was determined to master this critical craft. I understood that Black journalists have played a fundamental role in securing the rights and liberties we enjoy today. Everything I’ve learned about podcast production has been driven by the belief that only by pushing myself to think critically and to understand diverse perspectives will I be equipped to combat forces that feed misinformation and seek to roll back democracy, civil rights and equality.
As audio editor, I never missed a week producing “The HillTalks” podcast. Our dedicated audio team produced 27 episodes. I’ve grown accustomed to long weeks and sometimes sleepless Thursday nights. We started the year riding the high of covering former Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential candidacy, capturing students’ hopes and dreams at the campus debate watch party. We reported on protests in solidarity with Palestine, on democracy summits examining the rise of oligarchy during President Donald Trump’s second term and on one of our most-listened episodes detailing ICE’s first appearance on campus and Howard’s achievement of Research One (R1) Carnegie Classification. My team ventured across campus, capturing overlooked stories, from plays at the College of Fine Arts to conversations with industry professionals, we carefully selected highlights each week.
When people think of Howard, they often envision our trailblazing alumni. However, hosting and executive producing “The HillTalks” revealed the university’s multifaceted nature. I’ve documented celebrations of Black progress and joy alongside moments that confront complacency. Through audio journalism—a path I gratefully stumbled upon—I’ve learned to resist single narratives and to showcase the beautiful complexity of this institution during a pivotal moment in history. As I prepare to enter law school at the University of Pennsylvania this fall, I may be saying goodbye to The Hilltop, but this is only the beginning of my journey to uplift stories of those too often overlooked by mainstream media.
Copy edited by Camiryn Stepteau
