Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

ENROLLED ORIGINAL

                              A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION

                                             25-43

                  IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

                                         April 4, 2023

To recognize, honor, and congratulate the Howard University Men’s Basketball team for their

       first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1992.

       WHEREAS, Howard University is located alongside Georgia Avenue in Ward 1, with its

university motto being ‘excellence in truth and service’;

       WHEREAS, Howard University, prior to the season entered into a 20-year partnership with

Jordan Brand, making Howard the only Division 1 HBCU to have one;

       WHEREAS, Howard University Men’s Basketball team won their first outright Mid-

Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) regular season championship since 1987;

      WHEREAS, Howard University Men’s Basketball team won their first MEAC

Tournament championship since 1992;

       WHEREAS, Howard University Men’s Basketball team won 22 games which is the

second-most in program history;

        WHEREAS, Howard University Men’s Basketball team had back-to-back winning seasons

for the first time since 1986-87 and 1987-88;

        WHEREAS, Howard University Men’s Basketball program engaged in a season-long

social justice project centered on Black Maternal Health advocacy to honor the legacy of activism

at Howard;

       WHEREAS, Howard University Men’s Basketball program as part of their advocacy they

hosted volunteer events at Mamatoto Village and the DC Diaper Bank, while presenting

scholarships to student mothers at Howard;

        WHEREAS, Howard University Men’s Basketball program received national recognition

for their advocacy from outlets including CNN, Uninterrupted, and The Washington Post;

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                                                                    ENROLLED ORIGINAL

       WHEREAS, Howard University Men’s Basketball team was led by Washington, DC native

and Head Coach Kenneth Blakeney who can be credited for the remarkable turnaround of the

program;

       WHEREAS, Howard University Men’s Basketball Head Coach Kenneth Blakeney was

recognized as the John McClendon National Coach of the Year, as well as the MEAC Coach of

the Year;

        WHEREAS, Howard University Men’s Basketball Head Coach Kenneth Blakeney was

assisted by his dedicated coaching staff of Associate Head Coach Rod Balanis, Assistant Coaches

Tyler Thornton and Steve Ongley, and Chief Program Strategist Daniel Marks;

       WHEREAS, Howard University Men’s Basketball program was supported by 67 student-

managers, with roughly 85% of them being females, making them a premier incubator of young

African-American sports talent; and

     WHEREAS, Howard University’s Men’s Basketball championship winning team

members include:

#0 Marcus Dockery – Junior

#1 Khalil Robinson – Senior

#2 Steve Settle – Redshirt Junior

#3 Elijah Hawkins – Sophomore

#4 Miles Stewart – Redshirt Freshman

#5 Jelani Williams – Graduate Student

#10 Talin Lewis – Graduate Student

#11 Ose Okojie – Freshman

#12 Kobe Dickson – Senior

#13 Thomas Weaver – Junior

#14 Ayodele Taiwo – Redshirt Freshman

#15 Reece Brown – Junior

#22 Shyheim Odom – Freshman

#24 Jordan Wood – Junior

#25 Aaron Roberson – Freshman

#34 Bryce Harris – Sophomore

#55 Freedom Rhames – Freshman

        RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this

resolution may be cited as the “Howard University Men’s Basketball Championship Recognition

Resolution of 2023”.

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                                                                 ENROLLED ORIGINAL

       Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia recognizes and honors the Howard

University Men’s Basketball program for winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

tournament and for participating in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament for the first time

since 1992.

      Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately.

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