HBCU

NBA Foundation Announces $3.6 Million in Funding to Extend Partnership with Children’s Defense Fund

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The NBA Foundation has made its largest single contribution to date, totaling $3.6 million over three years, to the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF). Through this collaboration, CDF will assist in the identification of candidates and program management for the NBA HBCU Fellowship Program. The Foundation’s Fellowship, which will be launched in 2022, will provide undergraduate and graduate students from historically Black schools and institutions with career development opportunities in the basketball business (HBCUs).

As part of the partnership, CDF will expand program participants’ learning and career development opportunities to include a robust orientation, a closing retreat at CDF’s historic Alex Haley Farm, and social justice education in collaboration with Fearless Dialogues, a grassroots organization dedicated to creating unique spaces for unlikely partners to engage in hard heartfelt conversations. The programmatic features will help students improve their professional competencies and confront the dynamics and problems of entering the workforce.

CDF envisions a country in which marginalized children thrive, leaders prioritize their well-being, and communities wield the power to secure their success. In December 2021, the NBA Foundation awarded the organization a grant to assist the Black Student Leadership Network, CDF’s yearlong fellowship program focused on civic education, civic engagement, and servant leadership development for Black students on college campuses. Through leadership training, mentorship with famous Black leaders, economic and career progress, and networking opportunities, the network promotes the professional development of Black adolescents. The curriculum also assists the next generation of leaders in identifying community organizing and social change as a realistic career path with room for advancement.

“We are excited about the expansion of our partnership with the Children’s Defense Fund to bolster the NBA HBCU Fellowship Program,” said NBA Foundation Executive Director Greg Taylor.  “CDF’s legacy of social justice and unique approach to professional development for young people of color elevated them as the perfect collaborator and will help our program step into a new model centered on youth wellbeing.”

“Through leadership development and collaboration, Children’s Defense Fund helps young people activate their power and agency,” said CDF President and CEO Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson.  “As an alumnus and cheerleader for HBCUs, I envy the hundreds of NBA HBCU Fellows who will benefit from this innovative effort the NBA Foundation, Fearless Dialogues, and our energized staff team are crafting together. We look forward to supporting them and following their lead.”

The NBA HBCU Fellowship Program runs from June to August and provides students with hands-on experience interning at the NBA league office and teams in areas such as marketing, human resources, community relations, basketball operations, corporate partnerships, and more. The first cohort included 60 students from 24 HBCUs. In keeping with the Foundation’s purpose of increasing economic opportunity for Black youth, the Fellowship is an extension of the NBA’s commitment to enhancing educational and employment prospects for students and alumni through engagement with HBCUs. Students interested in applying for the 2023 NBA HBCU Fellowship Program can do so online through February 20.

The NBA Foundation will offer a total of $12 million in awards to 31 nonprofit groups that have historically served the Black community this month. Twelve of the 31 organizations are getting grant renewals, while 19 are getting new grants to help with programming and capacity building.

You can visit hear to learn more about the Foundation’s eighth round of grant funding during Black History Month here.

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On This Date In Black History Month: At Least A Dozen HBCUs Get Bomb Threats On First Day Of #BHM One Year Ago

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Last year on the first day of Black History month, at least a dozen Historically Black Colleges and Universities received bomb threats, causing the schools to either evacuate or dismiss classes for that day altogether, showing the relentless commitment to racism in this country, especially towards its specialized, secondary learning institutions.

**From the report dated Feb 1, 2022**

The FBI is actively investigating bomb threats at the following schools: Mississippi Valley State University, Morgan State University, Alcorn State University, Tougaloo College, Jackson State University, Kentucky State University, Fort Valley State University, Howard University, Xavier University, The University of the District of Columbia, Spelman College, and Edward Waters University.

According to the report, Morgan State closed their campus for the day(February 1) due to the alleged threat.

The FBI released a statement via USA Today about the bomb threats which read, “The FBI is aware of the series of bomb threats around the country and we are working with our law enforcement partners to address any potential threats. As always, we would like to remind members of the public that if they observe anything suspicious to report it to law enforcement immediately.”

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Spike Lee & Gersh Agency Launch Atlanta HBCU Fellowship Program

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Spike Lee Says 'I Got Questions' About 9/11 While Promoting Upcoming Documentary

Iconic director and Morehouse alum Spike Lee partners with Gersh Agency to launch the HBCU Fellowship Program in Atlanta, Georgia. The partnership will create more opportunities for students at historically Black colleges and universities.

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“It is with great honor, privilege, and excitement to announce the Spike Fellows in association with my partners The Gersh Agency and the AUCC,” Lee noted in an official statement. “From the jump, from the get-go, I knew when (not if) I opened a crack in the door, I was bringing as many Black and Brown folks with me in front and behind the camera.”

Lee, who has contributed timeless films representative of the Black community from Mo’ Betta Blues and School Daze to She’s Gotta Have It and Do The Right Thing, has teamed up with Gersh for the debut of the Spike Fellows Program, which was created to nurture the innovation of creative talent from four historically Black institutions within the Atlanta University Center Consortium (AUCC): Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, Morehouse College, and The Morehouse School of Medicine.

The Spike Fellows Program will begin this month with five fellows selected by a panel including Lee, members of the AUCC community, and Gersh management. Led by Gersh’s Head of Culture, Jayson Council, the Spike Fellows Program will provide five graduating students from AUCC academic debt relief, industry mentorship, post-graduate internships, and full-time employment.

As Lee continued on the occasion:

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“I know firsthand the education one receives at a Historically Black College and University. I am who I am because of my grandmother (Zimmie Jackson) and my mother (Jacquelyn Shelton Lee) who both graduated from Spelman College. I am who I am because of my grandfather (Richard Jackson Shelton) and my father (William Lee) who both graduated from Morehouse. It’s on the campuses of Spelman and Morehouse where they met, fell in love, and got married. As my elders often told me, ‘Deeds not words.’

In November 2022, Lee and his wife, Tonya Lewis Lee, joined Spelman College President Dr. Helene Gayle to honor their family’s legacy with the renaming of the College’s Admissions Office in honor of Spike’s grandmother, Zimmie Reatha Shelton, and mother, Jacquelyn Shelton Lee, both of whom were Spelman College alumna from the Class of 1929 and Class of 1951, respectively.

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Ed Reed Apologizes After Ranting About His Own School

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Ed Reed was recently hired as the new head coach of the Bethune-Cookman football team. Bethune-Cookman is an HBCU that has been in need of a revamped football program. After having a horrible record last year, Reed has been brought in to inject some energy.

However, it seems like Reed is already upset with some of the resources he has been dealt. While speaking on a Livestream, Reed made some disparaging remarks about HBCUs and the issues they face.

“I see it all too clearly. All of our HBCUs need help,” he said. “And they need help because of the people who’s running it. Broken mentalities out here. I’m going to leave you with that. I gotta get in the office.” Reed also claimed that he was doing work that wasn’t part of his job description. Subsequently, this led to him threatening to leave.

Ed Reed with his bust during his enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame at Tom Benson Hall Of Fame Stadium on August 3, 2019 in Canton, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Ed Reed Speaks

Consequently, Reed was criticized by many for his comments. Videos of his rant went viral, and there were some who felt like he shouldn’t be the team’s coach. Overall, Reed understood the weight of his comments, and he apologized for them on social media.

“In regards to my social media and comments about the University, staff and other institutions, I would like to sincerely apologize to all BCU staff, students and alumni for my lack of professionalism,” Reed said. “My language and tone were unacceptable as a father, coach and leader. My passion for our culture, betterment and bringing our foundation up got the best of me and I fell victim while engaging with antagonists on social media as well. I am fully aware of the hard working folks at our school who are also fighting to make things better and more financially sound. I am encouraged from my communication with my AD and our administration and understand it’s a work in progress. My passion is about getting and doing better and that goes for me too.”

Reed is not the first person to criticize HBCUs. Of course, Deion Sanders has done that as well over the past few months. Regardless, it seems as though Reed will remain as the team’s head coach until further notice.

Let us know what you thought about the remarks, in the comments down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news from the sports world.

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Deion Sanders Wants To Know Why HBCUs Are “Broke”

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Deion Sanders has been taking a lot of heat as of late. This is directly due to his decision to leave Jackson State University, which is an HBCU in Mississippi. Sanders had originally made it clear that he would be with the team long-term, however, he decided to leave for a bigger school.

This has opened up a massive dialogue about HBCUs and whether or not they are a viable option for athletes. Overall, it has been a contentious issue, with Sanders taking a lot of flack. Regardless, Sanders has remained firm on the notion that he is doing nothing wrong.

Head coach Deion Sanders of the Jackson State Tigers speaks with members of the press at the Jackson State University team press conference during Cricket Celebration Bowl Media Day at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 16, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

Deion Sanders Speaks

Recently, Sanders was interviewed by Shannon Sharpe for Club Shay Shay. During this interview, Sanders got to answer various questions about his JSU departure. At one point, Sanders even notes that HBCUs are underfunded and that he wanted to do an independent audit to investigate the situation.

“Let’s talk about the overall funding of school,” Sanders began. “I wanted to bring solvency to ‘how are we broke? how are we always asking? why are we always in a deficit?’ You mean everybody? That’s a problem for me. Let’s investigate and let’s find the faults. Is it the state is it the government? Where is this coming from? Let’s find it. I was willing to hire a team to audit and find this because it’s impossible for all of us to be in the same situation.

Additionally, Sanders went on to reveal that only seven percent of HBCU alumni donate to their alma maters. He feels like this number is way too low and that is has contributed to the lack of funding across the board.

Sanders had some interesting insights that will certainly stir up some debate. You can see more of Sanders’ conversation with Sharpe, below. Let us know what you thought of his analysis, in the comments section.

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Kevin Durant Makes Huge Donation To Bowie State University

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Kevin Durant has always repped for his home state of Maryland. Whenever he has the opportunity, Durant will make charitable contributions to organizations in the area. Additionally, he has expressed support for the schools in the state, especially at the HBCU level.

KD grew up in Prince George’s County, which just so happens to be where Bowie State University is located. BSU is an HBCU, and this week, KD decided to make a massive charitable contribution to the school.

Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets looks on against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on December 18, 2022 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)

Kevin Durant x BSU

According to blackenterprise.com, Durant’s contribution is upwards of $500,000. This is a massive amount of money that will go towards renovating the school’s basketball facility. Overall, they want to improve the court, while also adding a press box, and more seats.

Subsequently, Kevin’s mom Wanda spoke to the school about this recent donation. As she explained, this is something KD always wanted to do as BSU is located right where he grew up. Moreover, Bowie State president Aminta Breaux made a statement about Durant’s generosity.

“We’re grateful for the resources that Kevin Durant and his family foundation have generously donated to Bowie State University to advance student success in achieving their academic goals,” Breaux said. “His contributions will go a long way towards updating our facilities and ensure a top-tier athletic experience for all of our students. The foundation has already built a network of community-centric services within the Durant Center in Prince George’s County that is exemplary.

Overall, this is great news for Bowie State as they will be able to provide their students with an incredible athletic experience. Hopefully, the renovations go well and Durant gets to attend a game in the future.

Stay tuned to HNHH as we will be sure to bring you the latest news and updates from around the sneaker world.

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Deion Sanders Comforts JSU Player Who Dropped TD Pass

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Deion Sanders is moving on from Jackson State University as he recently accepted a position with Colorado. However, Sanders got to coach one last game with JSU on Saturday. This was for the Celebration Bowl which is a matchup between two HBCU champions. Jackson State got to take on North Carolina Central, and it was an epic matchup.

Unfortunately for Sanders and his team, they ended up losing by a score of 41-34. This loss ultimately came in overtime, although it was a hard-fought game by his team. Either way, Sanders will be disappointed to finish his JSU career with one final loss.

Head coach Deion Sanders of the Jackson State Tigers walks the field during pregame warmups prior to the Cricket Celebration Bowl against the North Carolina Central Eagles at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 17, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

One of the most memorable plays from the game took place in overtime. While down by seven, Hayden Hagler of JSU dropped what would have been the game-tying TD pass. After Hagler missed his mark, the Tigers went on to lose. It was a heartbreaking moment for the young player, who received death threats after the game.

Deion Sanders Stands With His Player

With Hagler feeling the weight of the moment, he couldn’t help but let out his emotion in the locker room. Hagler was sitting at his locker crying when Sanders came over and offered some words of encouragement. Coach Prime noted that the game isn’t all on Hagler and that the team as a whole needed to be better.

This was yet another demonstration of just how much Sanders cares about his players. While he might be going to a different school, there is no doubt that he cares a great deal about these kids. Overall, he has been a net benefit to them.

Stay tuned to HNHH as we will continue to bring you the latest news and updates from around the football world.

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Beats By Dre Partners With Black Creators To Make Afrofuturism Content

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The Beats by Dre‘s Beats by Black Creators program challenged HBCU students to create a film and soundtrack based on the Afrofuturism concept.

With that being said, Maze is a coming-of-age psychological thriller directed by Spellman student Miya Scaggs! In fact, the thrilling new project came about as a collaborative concept as it was penned by two Howard students, Sabrina Anthony and Troy White. 

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It follows Zola, a second-generation Nigerian teenager who must overcome trauma. Her relationship with her mother is gradually becoming explosive due to a lack of understanding and the pressure of success, weighed down by the pains of her father’s death. Returning home from college, her brother, Sulu, gifted her a Quantum Cognition VR game to help her work through her psychological trauma. Maze will test Zola’s reasoning and force her to confront her current reality head on.

As a result, Maze will challenge Zola’s thinking and force her to confront her present reality head-on. As for the 12-track soundtrack masterpiece, rising pop artist Say Rex arrives astoundingly on the properly produced by the Howard students that wrote the film, S.E. Anthony, and Tragic Johnson. Outside of Beats, the project has already garnered attention from Revolt, Kollege Kidd, and many more! In doing so, the film features a beautiful blend of film and featured futuristic AfroFusion soundscapes.

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Keeping up the momentum, Say Rex returns with his most recent release! He drops off his debut EP, I AM SAY REX.

His latest offering comes as his influential introduction into the industry. Since stepping on the scene, he has worked with Sean Kingston on “Carry Your Name” featuring Lil Durk artist Affiliate, Memo600, “Meant To Be” featuring Lauryn Hill’s son and the grandson of the legendary Bob Marley, YG Marley. Additionally, “Meant To Be” serves as the lead single with an accompanying VEVO Music video.

For now, stay tuned here at The Source to stay update to date with The Beats by Black Creators. 

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Travis Scott Donates $1M To Black College Students To Ensure They Graduate

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According to a report from TMZ, rapper Travis Scott has decided to give Black college students a large monetary incentive to become graduates.

According to the report, Scott awarded $1 million in scholarships to 100 students at HBCUs that are slated to walk across the stage in 2022. Scott’s Waymon Webster Scholarship Fund will be donating $10K to each student who finish off their scholastic career with at least a 3.5 GPA.

Scott’s donations went to 38 HBCU seniors from Alabama A&M University, Central State University, Jackson State University, Morehouse College, Texas Southern University, Grambling State University, Xavier University of Louisiana, and Prairie View A&M University.

The scholarships are a part of Scott’s Project HEAL, which was established in the wake of the Astroworld tragedy, which took ten lives and injured numerous others.

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