Community - Page 7

OSB’s Viral TikTok Spreads Joy and Breaks Stereotypes

By Nicolle Majette and Marquise Francis When Khadim Thiam, 23, posted a video to TikTok of his friends visiting a Dunkin’ in New York City to try matcha green tea, he had no idea it would go viral. The 19-second video, which has been watched by more than 15 million people since early April, shows Thiam and seven friends smiling and laughing as they hold up their cups. But the initial comments did not match the group’s positive energy. “They were saying things like, ‘Oh, why are men this happy to try matcha?’ ‘Oh, men should be in war,’” Thiam said. Instead of

Norwalk Seniors Win Full-Ride Scholarships to HBCU

By Sandra Diamond Fox High School senior Zahira Oyola Vargas was interested in attending CT State Community College Norwalk in the fall, but she may take a different path after receiving a full scholarship to Livingstone College in Salisbury, N.C. She said she plans to visit the college this summer and make her decision at that time. Oyola Vargas, 18, is one of two students from high schools in Norwalk who were received scholarships to Livingstone College, one of the nation’s Historically Black College and Universities, or HBCUs. The second student attends Norwalk High School, Livingstone College Vice President Anthony Brooks said. Over

Maine Afterschool Program Faces Cuts Despite Big Impact

By Jonaki Mehta Around 3:30 in the afternoon, a group of bandana-clad middle schoolers gather around a neatly laid table, covered with a colorful, floral tablecloth. The smell of freshly baked granola wafts through the industrial-style kitchen as students prepare yogurt parfaits. “We’re making it like the French flag, so red for strawberry, white for yogurt, and then blue for blueberry,” says sixth-grader Blaine Hart. This after-school cooking club in a rural community in Maine is preparing to host an international food festival at the end of the month. The students are currently finishing up a unit on French cuisine,

EDPA Expands HBCU Internship Program Across Alabama

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Special to The Times The Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA) recently celebrated the graduation of its Spring 2025 HBCU Innovation Internship cohort. The event featured professional development, presentations from interns regarding their work, and dynamic pitches and group interviews with intern candidates for Fall Semester 2025. The HBCU Innovation Internship program, in partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Inc., and the Innovate Alabama, connects students from Alabama’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with leading startups, accelerators, and innovation hubs across the state. Now entering its fourth cohort, the program continues to expand.

Cleveland Celebrates 2025 HBCU-Bound Students in Style

Graduation season is here, and the Cleveland Council of Black Colleges Alumni Association helped students get ready through a special occasion called HBCU Bound Day 2025, to support those heading to Historically Black Colleges and Universities this Fall. “A huge part of HBCUs is honestly the alumni network and it’s so amazing to see these people who graduated come back and pour into the youth,” said Makenna Reddix. “It’s a network and it’s a triple effect, and I’m so happy to be a part of it.” Before Reddix goes to Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, she received recognition from

Detroit Principal Inspires Students Toward College Success

By Darren A. Nichols It’s very rare that a high school principal would spend his spring break around his students, but that’s what Bryant Tipton did. Tipton — the principal of Pershing High School in the Detroit Public Schools Community District — spent a part of his break with his students on a tour of Historically Black College and Universities. The group of 26 students visited seven HBCU campuses by bus. For senior Dakayla Williams, the trip was a life-changing experience. As a mixed-race student, Dakayla was unsure if she would be accepted at an HBCU. After visiting the campuses,

HBCU Green Fund United Youth from 16 African Countries to launch #Road2Belem Action Plan

ON Earth Day 2025, the HBCU Green Fund’s Sustainable Africa Future Network convened a dynamic virtual gathering of youth leaders from 16 African countries and across the African Diaspora. With coordination support from its Dakar-based office, the event marked the official launch of the #Road2Belem Action Plan—a unified effort to develop a bold African Youth Climate Justice Statement and raise funds for over 50 young leaders to travel to COP30 in Belém, Brazil, where they will present the statement and advocate for climate equity on the global stage. “As we head toward COP 30 in Belém, African and African Diaspora youth are building a collective

A Place Where We Can Thrive: Seattle Initiatives Connect Students To The HBCU Experience

By Aaron Allen In an effort to broaden horizons and inspire futures, community organizations in Seattle are introducing young Black students to the legacy and opportunities of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Through initiatives like the BE Project and Baseball Beyond Borders, students who may never have otherwise traveled outside the city are now experiencing firsthand the history, culture, and academic excellence of HBCUs. Black college tours are on the rise as leaders work to expose youth to educational pathways often overlooked. Organizations such as the BE Project and Baseball Beyond Borders, which centers on student athletes, are taking

Historic Black Church Erases Student Debt for SAU Seniors

Alfred Street Baptist Church of Alexandria, Virginia, a prominent Black congregation located just outside Washington D.C., has donated $132,469 to Saint Augustine’s University (SAU) to eliminate the outstanding debt of 11 graduating seniors, enabling them to receive their diplomas debt-free at the May 3rd commencement ceremony. The timely donation comes as SAU faces a litany of challenges, including an appeal to hold on to its accreditation. The 222-year-old church, one of the nation’s oldest and largest predominantly African American congregations with approximately 13,000 members, has a long history of supporting historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Church officials estimate about

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