“The Black Effect” Podcast Festival was an Oasis of Opportunity

Newly elected Mr. Panther gathered words of advice, inspiration for CAU students

The Black Effect Podcast Festival took over Atlanta in April and was star-studded and alumni-flooded. Clark Atlanta University alumni brought both star power and opportunity back to their roots. The event served as a dynamic platform for CAU graduates to entertain massive crowds while actively pouring back into their alma mater through career mentorship and networking for current students.

As the newly elected Mr. Panther for The Panther Newspaper, I was honored with the opportunity to interview the people who once walked the campus and sat in the classrooms I occupy today. For me, it was more than an interview, it was about getting a snapshot of what the post–CAU experience could look like as I approach commencement day.

While exploring the various activities at the Black Effect Podcast Festival, one of my Royal Court mates introduced me to a Clark Atlanta University Alum, Justice Miranda, ’17, who embraced each of us upon noticing our CAU merchandise. We had an informative conversation about who she is, what she does, and how she’s looking to bring AUC students along by creating opportunities for them.

From Left: CAU Students Evin Goodwin, Mr. Panther, Keyontae Rozier and Romiya Patterson

In our interview, Justice explained that as the Chief Operating Officer of three companies, she offers workforce development, bridging the gap between companies looking for students and students looking for job opportunities. She calls them apprenticeships, as they are more than a job. Students will learn everything their mentor knows, creating a foundation that they can continue to build on their own. She also explained that her company started with AUC students, and she’s ready to bring the company back to its roots by hiring AUC students and giving back to a deserving community. “It feels good to not only give back but help students make their passion their profits,” she said. “That’s my whole mission in life.”

“Going to CAU was the best decision I ever made in my life. —Greg Mansfield”

Two of the featured alumni, Phillip Durrah and Greg Mansfield, who met during their time rooming together in undergrad, reflected on what brought them to CAU. For Greg, there wasn’t a specific reason for going to CAU, as the decision was made from faith. “God led me to Atlanta,” he recalls. “Going to CAU was the best decision I ever made in my life … it kept me away from a lot of stuff. It also helped me progress as who I really wanted to become.” He also remembered how it felt like a family at CAU and it was different than what he had experienced back home in the Midwest—Indianapolis to be exact. He attributed his success to the familial atmosphere.

Phillip, a Birmingham native, shared that he already had family in Atlanta, so he always had a desire go to school in the area. He added that Morehouse College was his initial choice, but after experiencing the familial atmosphere of Clark Atlanta University, he found a new destination for home. “It ain’t nothing like going to Clark. It’s life changing... Clark is one of a kind.”

Former NBA Player Marquis Teague with Mr. Panther Evin Goodwin

Then, Greg flipped the script and wanted to ask me a question, “What inspired you to do this [interview]?” Caught off guard, I didn’t have a clear answer besides my love for media and desire to share the same spaces with people like him and the podcast we both came to see–Club 520 Podcast. Greg reassured me, “You don’t really know how to explain it, but you know you have a passion for it.” He continued, “For you to even have that passion and feel that, and as a Black man, to pick a different path, you’re doing damn good at it. Keep going. I’m proud of you, even though I just met you.”

Greg encouraged other students to never give up as well. “Find your why, and what you do it for…Always remember that.” He encouraged students to put their all in everything that do, set their mind to it, and do it. “We only got one life to live, and we only got one time to do it, so make the most of it.”

Phillip also encouraged students to keep pursuing their dreams and never let up. He used himself as an example, and recalled his junior year at CAU when he was considering dropping out. When he shared his plan with his sister, who was also a junior at the time, Phillip had a change of heart. His sister—with some explicit language—reminded him of how close he was to finishing and how absurd it would be to give up all his hard work. Talk about tough love.

“You need those positive influences in your life…once you graduate, they can never take that away from you. Also, it’s nothing like graduating from an HBCU,” Phillip said. “Don’t quit. Graduate. You can look back on it twenty years from now, and it’ll be the greatest thing you ever did.”

It was such an honor to talk with Clark Atlanta University alum and gain a new perspective. As a new transfer student, I have felt the embrace from CAU. Connecting with Alumni has felt like meeting an extension of my family. The through line for all the conversations was perseverance. Their messages served as reminders for me to keep going in pursuit of my dreams, and to never quit. As I sign on as the next Mr. Panther for the 2026–2027 school year, their words will stick by my side as my guide on this journey.