House Bill 999, which was proposed earlier this month, seeks to remove organizations on Florida’s public colleges that “promote, support, or maintain any programs or campus activities that… espouse diversity, equity, and inclusion or Critical Race Theory rhetoric.”
On Tuesday, students from FAMU, Florida State University, the University of South Florida, and the New College of Florida staged a sit-in at FAMU’s Grand Ballroom while Florida’s Board of Governors met on campus.
Student groups across the state of Florida hold a protest to fight against HB999 as Florida Board of Governors committee meetings are being held at FAMU on Tuesday, March 28, 2023. Credit: The Tallahassee Democrat
The students chanted “stand up, fight back” and “the students united will never be defeated” during the protest against the education-attacking bill.
Student protesters rallying against HB 999, which would eliminate funding for DEI programs in Florida public universities.
They’re marching outside a FAMU building where the university’s board of governors is currently meeting. pic.twitter.com/k0atEYvwDY
Florida Democratic Party chair Nikki Fried also attended the protest and gave the student protesters words of encouragement before they made their way to FAMU’s campus.
“They want to silence your voices to prevent you all from being the type of leaders who are educated, who are diverse, and who truly represent all the people,” Fried said.
“This is not just about DEI,” Fried added. “They fundamentally want to destroy our higher education system. That is their mission. This is an assault on our higher education system because they are trying to dumb down our universities and our colleges.”
The bill would prohibit majors and minors with curriculums touching on critical race theory, gender studies, and intersectionality. As a result, it could eliminate entire majors such as African American studies, gender studies, and women’s studies.
I’m at the Florida Board of Governors’ committee meetings at FAMU. About 10 student protesters just walked in and sat down with their fists held up high in the air, in silence, during their sit-in.@TDOnlinepic.twitter.com/zOVlEwaR7K
While the meetings proceeded, about 10 students walked into the university’s ballroom and sat in silence with their fists held up high in solidarity
Although board members did not comment on the student protesters’ actions during the meetings, Board of Governors Vice Chair Eric Silagy, who presided over the committee meetings Tuesday, said that their presence was welcomed.
“This is an open meeting, and we welcome anybody to come,” Silagy told the Tallahassee Democrat. “I was happy to have them participate and was happy to have them be so respectful of the process. It’s great that people participate in these meetings since we want the public involved.”
The students continued their protest into Wednesday while the Board of Governors held their full meeting at FAMU.
During the meeting, faculty from multiple Florida colleges expressed their concerns about post-tenure review.
The comments from the faculty came as the board prepared to vote on a new regulation to evaluate contracts of tenured faculty members every five years and to authorize state university boards of trustees to review tenure status.
According to the Tallahassee Democrat, faculty members fear the change will undermine their tenure protections and diminish the state’s higher education system.
“If you pass this regulation, Florida’s university system will go from the most competitive in the country to the least, and it will happen overnight,” said United Faculty of Florida President and English faculty member at Florida Atlantic University, Andrew Gothard. “Every high-quality faculty member around the country who’s deciding where they want to go to build their career is not going to come to Florida.”
“Listen to the people, and listen to the experts,” Gothard added.
However, despite the Florida college faculty member’s best efforts, the board went on to approve the measure.
While faculty members opposed the legislature inside, over 100 FAMU students gathered outside across from the H. Manning Efferson Student Union.
Decked out in orange and green FAMU spirit colors, students stood together with signs shouting “Kill the bill,” “Who’s history? Our history” and “Say it loud, I’m Black, and I’m proud.”
Nyabi Stevens, an African American Studies major, told the Tallahassee Democrat that she attended the protest to show her support because “the past, present and future generations are affected by African American history,” and that this history should be “embraced, not erased.”
Student Government Association President Zachary Bell said that it was important for FAMU to lead the charge in fighting against HB 999 and encouraged students to show their support again during FAMU Day at the Capitol on April 13.
According to FAMU President Larry Robinson, the event at the Capitol is designed “to make elected officials more aware of FAMU’s contributions to enhancing the lives of our students and the livelihood of their communities.”
Virginia State University (VSU) SGA President Yania Campbell and Vice President Aaliyah Duh end their term by launching an annual funded fellowship to Ghana, West Africa
Virginia State University Student Government Association President Yania Campbell and the 2nd Executive Vice President Aaliyah Duh are ending their term in a big way.
Together they launched the “Turning Back, Paying Forward” Fellowship to Ghana for VSU students.
The fellowship seeks to take students on a seven-day fellowship to Ghana, West Africa for an experiential learning opportunity at almost no cost.
Virginia State’s dormitories were investigated for marijuana
According to a statement, in Ghana VSU students will engage with Ghanaian culture, learn about the Atlantic Slave Trade, and Ghana’s universities and gain deep insights into their ancestry.
One of the goals of the fellowship is for students to leave with a better understanding of their history and self-identity to be able to pour back into their peers and Virginia State University.
In an Instagram post announcing the fellowship, Campbell reflected on how her journey as SGA president has allowed her to give back to her HBCU.
“On March 27, 2022 I announced that I would officially be running for Student Government President at my University under “The Revolutionary Administration”. All Glory to God Here I am a year later as SGA President announcing a legacy that will provide two students the chance to reconnect with their roots and become the change agents of today,” Campbell captioned the photo.
The inaugural fellowship is set for June 12-19, 2023 and VSU will provide the following:
Traveling Visas to all students traveling.
Transportation to and from Ghana.
An itinerary with traveling times and site visitation.
Transportation to designated areas in Ghana.
Food during the duration of traveling.
A place to stay while traveling in Ghana.
Applications for the program are available now through April 2.
The application procedure involves two phases. Students who move on to the next round of the application process will receive an email to schedule their interview.
Students are instructed to visit the link in @vsu_sga‘s Instagram bio to apply.
The Board of the Institutions of Higher Learning is continuing its search for the next president of Jackson State University following the resignation of Thomas Hudson.
The Board of the Institutions of Higher Learning is continuing its search for the next president of Jackson State University following the resignation of Thomas Hudson.
Hudson was placed on administrative leave earlier this month, ultimately resigning effective March 31, making him the third straight president to resign from JSU.
A board meeting was held on last Thursday to discuss the future leadership of the HBCU but there was no information provided about the circumstances surrounding Hudson’s resignation, despite an earlier statement suggesting there would be.
Elayne Hayes Anthony is the temporary acting president of JSU and she said she will lead the university as long as she’s needed.
“I’m here, I’m a Jacksonian. Whatever I need to do to work with my university and to make things continue to move ahead, I’m willing to do that for an indefinite period of time,” Anthony told WAPT.
Anthony says she is interested in the full-time position and plans to apply.
Following the board meeting, the board sent out a press release announcing it would begin a search for Jackson State’s next president.
Steven Cunningham, the only Jackson State alumnus on the board, will chair the search and listening sessions will be held this spring.
Howard University’s Call of Duty Esports team, Cold Steel, took home a first-place prize at this year’s MTN Dew Real Change Challenge esports tournament.
Cold Steel was awarded a hefty $80,000 share of the $500,000 prize pool.
Photo from @howardesports via Instagram
The MTN Dew Real Change Challenge was created to celebrate students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) working toward greater inclusion in the gaming community.
MTN DEW has set out to address the lack of Black gamers in esports by sponsoring a nationwide HBCU esports tournament in partnership with Cxmmunity Media, a media-tech company building digital assets with a mission to future-proof diversity gaming.
This win was big for Cold Steel, as they have come a long way according to team members.
Senior marketing major Deante Taylor recalled the limited gaming setup in their first competition. “We had no proper system setups, no proper equipment. We were even on dorm Wi-Fi,” Taylor said.
This year, thanks to a partnership with Verizon, and Cxmmunity Media, Howard was able to install an esports lab, crucial to Cold Steel’s ability to perform at the highest level.
The win came as no surprise to Christopher Peay, co-founder, and chief marketing officer of Cxmmunity Media. “Howard’s success was no surprise to me. The team bought in immediately,” he told Hilltop.
The team is certainly dedicated, as one member, Reese Samuel, who also is part of the NEC champion swim team, split his time between both sports. He flew back and forth to Atlanta to attend the tournament.
“Being on the team has been great. We have a lot of team spirit and pride in what we do. It feels good to be seen and noticed. Outside of that, I love the environment that the team creates,” Samuel said.
Paine College is seeking to preserve and grow the historically black college (HBCU) for another 141 years through its Growing Paine fundraising campaign.
Launched last month, the campaign hopes to raise $6 million in 60 days to expand the college’s educational curriculum, upgrade student housing, refurbish campus buildings, and invest in new technology.
They are now at the midway point of the campaign and are calling for strong financial support to continue the HBCUs’ legacy of academic excellence.
Nearly $600,000 has been raised since the campaign launched. The college said the continual generous support given by the alumni, friends, corporations, and foundations is warmly received.
Funds raised during the campaign will support the college’s five major areas including:
Student Enrollment
Student Scholarship Awards
Curriculum Expansion and Realignment
Faculty Growth and Development
Student Housing
$150,000 of the fundraising campaign funds came from the estate of late alums, Ellis M. and Ann N. Johnson, who both loved the institution.
“I’m extremely thankful for my experience at Paine College. It equipped me with the education and mindset to forge ahead in life,” Michael Thurmond, chairman of the Paine College Board of Trustees and Chief Operating Officer of DeKalb County, Georgia told Black Enterprise. “I am challenging my network to join me by giving and encouraging others in their networks to do the same. Our 60-day goal is within reach, but it will certainly take a village to help Paine College build and grow.”
According to Helene Carter, Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Paine, the goal is to “increase scholarships, increase and improve retention, help to underwrite capital improvements, help to underwrite residential halls improvements.”
Rapper E-40 returned to his alma-mater Grambling State University in the music video for his new single “Bands,” which featured the ‘World Famed’ Tiger Marching Band.
Rapper E-40 returned to his alma mater Grambling State University in the music video for his new single “Bands,” released Friday.
In the video, the rapper is accompanied by The Grambling State University ‘World Famed’ Tiger Marching Band.
As E-40 is shown rapping the lively song across various hot spots on Grambling’s campus, clips of several A-list celebrities like Floyd Mayweather, 50 Cent, Future, and Lil Baby flashing their cash are also shown.
Credit: E-40 official Instagram
“Most people don’t know that I was part of a marching band for most of my childhood, so I definitely connected with this beat,” 40 told Billboard. “But I just wanted to create another slap for my fans sprinkled in with a double entendre for everyone working hard to earn those bands. Shout-out to everyone at Grambling involved in making this video come to life.”
E-40’s latest single and nod to his alma mater comes after he recently donated $100,000 to Grambling to support a number of its music programs, including bolstering the marching band and building a recording studio.
Earlier this year, Billboard named E-40 one of the 50 Greatest Rappers of All-Time. “His flamboyant rhymes helped him become one of the first West Coast rappers to sign a major deal when he signed with Jive Records in the early ’90s. And he hasn’t gone more than four years without releasing an album since 1993. E-40’s contributions, including his 2006 top 10 rap hit and hyphy movement anthem ‘Tell Me When to Go,’ helped bring the Bay Area into the hip-hop’s mainstream,” the article read.
NBA legend, team owner, author, and broadcaster Grant Hill will serve as the spring 2023 commencement speaker at Fisk University.
The university said that Hill’s impressive career and charitable contributions embody the spirit of perseverance and commitment to community that aligns with Fisk’s legacy of social justice.
“Fisk’s contributions to the fabric of American life are unparalleled and the future looks exciting,” said Hill. “I look forward to meeting the outstanding students and am honored to serve as this year’s commencement speaker.”
Hill is a seven-time NBA All-Star with a commendable 19-year playing career and a successful business portfolio that includes real estate, sports broadcasting, and private equity.
His many ventures span everything from sports broadcasting to real estate and the launch of a private equity mezzanine fund, Penta Capital.
From his time at Duke University, Hill has been a global household name and his competitiveness, perseverance, and commitment to community and family has served as an inspiration to many.
Hill is married to six-time Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Tamia and they are the loving parents of two daughters. Together, they created the Grant Hill and Tamia Foundation where they continue to be recognized for their philanthropic leadership. Through their foundation, they have donated their time and money to charities, schools, scholarships, non-profit organizations, and churches. Most of their donations support children’s and educational charities.
Hill and Tamia also established the Grant and Tamia Hill Athletic Scholarship Endowment Fund at the Duke University in Durham, North Carolina to provide financial aid for a Duke basketball player each year.
A charitable servant, Grant also donated all his proceeds from the sale of his book Change the Game to two homeless children’s organizations, The Covenant House in New Orleans and YWCA/Coalition for Homeless Children & Families of Greater Baltimore.
Finally, Grant is one of the world’s premier collectors of African American art, desiring to draw attention to this deeply underappreciated facet of the artistic canon.
Fisk University’s Spring 2023 commencement ceremony will take place on May 1, 2023, on campus and will start promptly at 9 am.
After losing its accreditation nearly 20 years ago, Barber-Scotia College leaders held a press conference to discuss their efforts to preserve the campus.
On Saturday, Barber-Scotia College leaders held a press conference to discuss their efforts to preserve the campus.
The 156-year-old college lost its accreditation nearly 20 years ago, with the campus in need of repair.
“We are determined to build the walls of Barber-Scotia College,” said Board chair Roberta Pinckney.
Barber-Scotia interim president Tracey Flemmings said last October, the board of trustees approved a five-year strategic plan to restore the school to stability and sustainability.
“We are in active discussions with potential donors and partners and are confident that over the next two years the college will orchestrate a turnaround,” Flemmings said.
Last week, the Concord City Council released a statement announcing that the task force created six years ago to revitalize Barber-Scotia College has been dissolved.
Within the statement, the city blamed Barber-Scotia college officials for a lack of participation in the process.
“Despite our efforts and financial commitment, Barber-Scotia College officials refuse to work in partnership with us, and have continuously obstructed the work of the Task Force. We no longer believe it is possible for the Task Force to work effectively in pursuit of a revitalized campus,” the statement read.
According to WBTV, Barber-Scotia officials deny the city’s claims.
During Saturday’s press conference, university officials speculated that the city and county officials seem to be plotting the school’s demise. Flemmings revealed that the college learned of the dissolution of the task force from the media.
Earlier this month, the Cabarrus County tax assessor denied tax exemption status for much of the campus, which includes worn down buildings deemed unsafe by city inspectors.
“We are still willing to work with city and county officials, we are simply asking them to allow us enough time to make repairs, restore our tax exempt status, and cancel our debt as a sign of good faith,” Flemmings added.
“The college is respectfully asking the city to back off and allow this new administration to work its plan,” Flemmings added.
Pinckney remained positive that the college will return to where it once was.
“The new leadership, the board of trustees, the alumni, friends, and supporters are resolved to ensure that Scotia will continue her legacy to teach, educate, and train the next generation of students,” said Pinckney.
Effective last week, Dr. Renae Myles Payne assumed the position, bringing her expertise of more than 25 years in intercollegiate athletics to the university.
“Dr. Myles Payne’s exceptional leadership qualities and extensive experience in collegiate athletics make her the ideal candidate for this position,” said FVSU President Paul Jones, Ph.D.
Prior to her new role as athletic director at FVSU, Dr. Myles Payne served as the senior associate athletic director for administration and chief diversity officer at the University of Miami (UM). At UM, she led the sports administrators group responsible for the day-to-day oversight of the Hurricanes 18 varsity sports.
As FVSU’s new athletic director, Dr. Myles Payne will oversee the administration, development, and planning for advancing the University’s NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletic programs. FVSU is a part of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) East Division, making Dr. Myles Payne the second current female athletic director in the SIAC.
She told WMGT that her major goal for the athletic department is to increase scholarships and, in turn, increase enrollment.
“Scholarships, scholarships, scholarships, scholarships is what we’ll be touting a lot to make sure that it gets raised,” she said. “So we can have more student-athletes. That increases enrollment. That does a whole lot of things for the university, not just help athletics.”
Myles Payne received her M.Ed. in Sports Administration from Northwestern State University of Louisiana and her Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Pittsburgh. She and her husband, Marcus Payne, have two adult daughters, Brianna and Ariana. She is a native of Clarksdale, Mississippi, and a 1997 graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, where she competed in track and field.
Two new research centers are coming to Morgan State University thanks to $6.8 million in state funding.
The university’s Center for Research and Education in Microelectronics and the National Center for the Elimination of Educational Disparities (NCEED) will receive $3.1 million and $3.7 million respectively in annual state appropriations, beginning July 1. Both centers will employ up to 25 new faculty members.
The centers will use its funding to support education and research centered on the design and fabrication of microchips, as well as address challenges facing public school education. It will also focus on training and workforce development in semiconductor manufacturing to prepare students to become the future of the industry.
The center will augment its equipment base with a new state-of-the-art “clean room” and tools designed to assist with research initiatives that focus on designing manufacturing packaging, and testing semiconductors.
With the addition of the two new buildings, Morgan State will have nine state-funded research centers.
According to The Daily Record, “to attract potential students, the University will expand outreach to local community colleges and continuing education students offering workforce development opportunities to learn hands-on experience that will allow them to enter the semiconductor industry.”
This marks the second time the university has cleared balances using grant funding. The first time Langston University canceled student account balances was in August 2021, with a clearance amount of $4,654,112.
The amount of debt cleared through the new initiative is $4,587,485. The two debt clearance initiatives, August 2021 and March 2023, total over $9.2 million in canceled funds.
This year’s initiative will impact students enrolled throughout the summer 2022, fall 2022, and spring 2023 semesters.
In a statement released Wednesday president, Kent J. Smith Langston said the institution “has sought ways to lessen the burden and remove barriers to degree completion” for students.
University officials say they will not be refunding or reversing past payments already made on balances.
According to the university, the new clearance “includes students not currently enrolled at the institution as well as those enrolled during summer 2022 or fall 2022 who will now be cleared of any hold preventing them from receiving an official transcript due to a balance.”
The university registrar will also now consider late applications for graduation due to the award’s timing. Any students now eligible to apply for graduation as a result of debt clearance will have until March 31 to apply for commencement.
Tennessee State University is grieving the loss of a fallen tiger, as university officials have confirmed that a student was found dead on campus Thursday evening.
Tennessee State University is grieving the loss of a fallen tiger, as university officials have confirmed that a student was found dead on campus Thursday evening.
WSMV reports that Metro Police responded to the campus just after 5 p.m. and early signs point to the student taking her own life.
According to students, the incident happened in the female freshman dorm, Wilson Hall.
“Tennessee State University is deeply saddened over the death of one of our students,” the university said in a statement. “While the tragic incident remains under investigation, it is suspected that the student may have taken her own life. Counseling was made available immediately for students in our campus center and will remain so around the clock, as we help students to cope with this heartbreaking situation. We ask that you please pray for the family and for our TSU campus family.”
Some students housed in Wilson Hall were relocated to a hotel for the night, as The Student Government Association (SGA) collected an abundance of toiletries for them.
The SGA president, Kenneth Rolle II, and vice president, Aliyah Holmes also released a statement via Instagram sharing resources for students during this time of grief.
“Our fallen tiger was one who was loved by many and was a radiant of light to all who they encountered. As we pray for their loved ones and those close to them, I would like to ensure to the student body that the 82nd Administration is here and are taking the necessary steps needed to help be that “friend” in time of sorrow,” the statement read.
Tennessee has a Crisis Services & Suicide Prevention phone line and anyone experiencing a mental health emergency is urged to call. Help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Call 855-CRISIS-1 (855-274-7471) or Text “TN” to 741-741
Florida A&M University alumna, Tamia Potter makes history as Vanderbilt University’s neurosurgery residency program’s first Black woman resident.
She learned the news on March 17, which is National Match Day, a day when thousands of graduate medical students find out where they will do their residency training for the next several years.
On Friday, the 26-year-old shared the exciting news on Twitter: “My first job was a certified nursing assistant at 17 years old in 2014. Today, on March 17, 2023, I was blessed to be selected as the first African American female neurosurgery resident to train at [Vanderbilt University Medical Center for neurosurgery],”
“Everything that I’m doing, everything that I’m learning, everything that I experience is for the betterment of someone else,” Potter told CNN.
My first job was a certified nursing assistant at 17 years old in 2014.
Vanderbilt trained its first neurosurgery resident in 1932, making Potter the first Black woman to join in 91 years, according to Dr. Reid Thompson, a professor, and chair of the university’s Department of Neurological Surgery.
Potter graduated summa cum laude from FAMU with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 2018.
She told CNN that being a FAMU alumna proves that it’s possible to go to an HBCU and “attain every single thing that you want to and make your dreams come true.”
“A lot of people feel like when you go to an HBCU, you are sacrificing quality, and that is something that people should not believe,” Potter added.
Before she heads to Vanderbilt, Potter will finish her studies at Case Western Reserve University Medical School.
The USBC Power 50 List is an annual honor bestowed upon fifty illustrious women who embody the spirit of the organization—unwavering dedication to making a difference in their communities and in the world at large.
This year, several honorees are graduates of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and represent a cross-section of women who have made significant contributions in their fields. These individuals have made an impact on our lives and helped to shape the world we live in today.
Melissa Butler – Founder & CEO, The Lip Bar, Florida A&M University
Melissa Butler is the Founder and CEO of The Lip Bar, a beauty brand that started in her kitchen while working on Wall Street. Melissa obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Finance from Florida A&M University before going on to work on Wall Street as a licensed stockbroker. The Lip Bar has become a pioneer in beauty and inclusion and the company is now sold in Target and Walmart stores across the country. Melissa believes that without representation, as humans, we’re left seeking validation. “I’m the woman who doesn’t believe in No. I’m a fighter, a thought leader, a beauty advocate and expert, a risk taker, an HBCU grad, and a business maven.”
Jasmine Crowe – Founder & CEO of Goodr, North Carolina Central University
Jasmine Crowe is the CEO and founder of Goodr, a tech-enabled sustainable food waste management company that strives to eliminate hunger and save food from landfills. She is an award-winning entrepreneur, TED Speaker, and leader who is working to make the world a better place. Jasmine’s goal is to foster change and create awareness about today’s most pressing socio-economic challenges including poverty, food waste, and hunger. She graduated from North Carolina Central University in 2005 with a BA in Mass Communications.
Karmetria Dunham Burton – Senior Director of Global Supplier Diversity, McDonald’s Corporate, Southern University
Karmetria Dunham Burton Southern is the Senior Director of Global Supplier Diversity for McDonald’s Corporation. In this position, she is responsible for developing and executing a global Supplier Diversity program while enhancing the processes to assist McDonald’s achieve its vision of being an industry leader in making minority and women-owned businesses (MWBEs) a natural and integral part of the way the company does business. Karmetria has worked in strategic sourcing in various national and international corporate settings, including Delta Air Lines, Xerox, AT&T, and Union Pacific Railroad. Karmetria holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Southern University – Baton Rouge, La., and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska. She also has a doctorate degree in business from Argosy University.
Jocelyn Delk Adams – Founder & Author of Grandbaby Cakes, Clark Atlanta University
Jocelyn Delk Adams is the founder, author, national television personality, and brand ambassador behind the award-winning cookbook Grandbaby Cakes and the food website Grandbaby-Cakes.com, which gives her family’s, particularly her grandmother’s, cherished generational recipes her modern spin while preserving the most important ingredient- tradition. Jocelyn is a TODAY Show Tastemaker, a judge on Disney Channel and Disney Plus’ Magic Bake Off, Food Network’s popular series “Santa’s Baking Blizzard” and “Beat Bobby Flay”, and a cast member of such shows as “Food Fantasies on OWN Network and the Cooking Channel’s longest running most popular shows, “Unique Sweets”. She graduated magna cum laude from Clark Atlanta University in 2003 with BA in Mass Media Communications.
Michele Cober – Director of Strategic Alliances, Verizon, Howard University School of Law
Michele Cober is also an accomplished attorney who has been practicing law for over a decade. She graduated cum laude from Howard University School of Law where she was Executive Publications Editor of the Howard Law Journal. From 2014-2018, she was named one of Super Lawyer’s Washington D.C. “Rising Stars” in civil litigation. Ms. Cober is now Director of External Affairs & Strategic Alliances at Verizon where she manages strategic relationships with certain third-party organizations representing various civil and human rights interests. She continues to maintain an active pro bono practice, with a focus on criminal justice reform. Ms. Cober also enjoys volunteering to help serve the needs of children, advance the arts, and diversify the legal profession.
Keisha Lance-Bottoms – Senior Advisor to the President for Public Engagement, Florida A&M University
Keisha Lance Bottoms is a Florida A&M University alumna and serves as Senior Advisor to the President for Public Engagement. She is also CNN Political Commentator, based in Atlanta, Georgia, where she served as the 60th Mayor. She is a visionary leader in bringing equitable outcomes to the forefront of government and commerce. Keisha became the first Mayor in Atlanta’s history to have served in all three branches of government, having previously served as a Judge and a City Councilmember. As Mayor, she committed herself to realizing her vision of “One Atlanta” – an affordable, resilient, and equitable Atlanta.
Michelle Bailey – Founder, HBCU Honors, Spelman College
Purpose-driven entrepreneur and marketing guru, Spelman alum Michelle M. Bailey launched the inaugural HBCU Honors award show to showcase eight alums of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across various industries whose ground-breaking achievements have helped change the world. Bailey studied economics at Spelman College and graduated in 1989. She went on to launch a trailblazing career at BET Networks, where she established a new division – the program research department – to recognize branding market research as a key part of the company’s decision-making process.
Malika Jones – Founder of Brown Girl Jane, Spelman College
Malaika Jones is the CEO of BROWN GIRL Jane, a culturally-inspired and clinically-studied fine fragrance brand sold at Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, and DTC. Named one of the 100 most powerful women by Entrepreneur Magazine, Malaika is recognized for her innovative and disruptive approach to business and has been featured in various publications including Forbes, WWD, NY Times, and Elle. She earned a dual degree in Economics and English at Spelman College and completed the Executive Education program at Harvard Business Schoo
Deryl McKissack – President and CEO of McKissack & McKissack, Howard University
Deryl McKissack is the founder, chairwoman, and chief executive officer of McKissack & McKissack, a national architecture, engineering, program- and construction-management firm currently working on over $15 billion in projects nationwide. Under her leadership, McKissack has worked for public and private clients in the civic, culture, energy, education, entertainment, healthcare, hospitality, housing, infrastructure, mixed-use, and office sectors and has grown to over 150 employees with offices in Austin, Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami and Washington, D.C. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Structural Engineering at Howard University in 1983.
Courtney Robinson – Global Head of Financial Inclusion & Policy Development, Square, Inc., North Carolina Central University
Courtney Robinson is the Head of Financial Inclusion and Public Policy Development for Square, Inc., where she works on issues critical to underserved communities and financial services policy development, particularly related to equal access to banking services and the broader financial system. Prior to her work at Square, she served as senior counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services; as the Policy Counsel for the Center for Responsible Lending; and as a Legal Analyst for Freddie Mac. Her work and expertise have been featured in national media. She graduated cum laude from North Carolina Central University in 2009 with a BA in Political Science and Government.
Belinda Matingou – Business Development Manager, Amazon Web Services, Florida A&M University
Belinda Matingou is the Business Development Manager for AWS CloudStart at Amazon Web Services. Belinda assists state and local government economic development leaders seeking to stimulate greater tech entrepreneurship in their communities. AWS CloudStart provides resources to help startups scale their businesses on the cloud. Belinda earned her MBA in Marketing from The Wharton School and her BS in Finance from Florida A&M University. She has delivered results in senior management positions at Fortune 100 companies across a variety of industries, including Dell, AT&T, and Swissôtel.
Michelle Jordan – Chief Diversity Officer at AT&T, Florida A&M University
Michelle Jordan currently serves as Chief Diversity Officer at AT&T. As the head of all Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) efforts across the company, Michelle is responsible for strengthening and accelerating the company’s efforts to foster an inclusive culture, while integrating diversity practices into all aspects of the business. Michelle is a graduate of Florida A&M University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, and Kennesaw State University, where she completed her Master of Business Administration.
Aminta H. Breaux – President, Bowie State University
Dr. Aminta H. Breaux has served as the visionary 10th president of Bowie State University since July 2017, bringing more than 30 years of diverse higher education leadership experience to the position. As president, she is committed to ensuring that every student at Bowie State University develops an entrepreneurial mindset to achieve success in the rapidly changing workplace and communities. Dr. Breaux initiated a university-wide focus to infuse entrepreneurship education across the disciplines which led to the opening of an Entrepreneurship Living Learning Community in the fall of 2021. She is dedicated to building on the legacy and rich history of Maryland’s oldest historically Black university with a strategic focus on ensuring the long-term viability of the institution.
Apply For the Spirited Innovation Lab Program Now Through April 7th!
Pronghorn is working to cultivate the next generation of Black leaders in the spirit industry through their new Spirited Innovation Lab.
Pronghorn is a stand-alone business dedicated to cultivating the next generation of Black founders, executive leaders, and entrepreneurs in the spirits industry. With the Spirited Innovation Lab program, Pronghorn seeks to provide opportunities for Black Americans in the beverage industry.
The Spirited Innovation Lab program is a business design and innovation competition fueled by Pronghorn to support rising Black entrepreneurs with an interest in the spirits industry.
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The House Bill 999 (HB 999) is targeting DEI efforts on Florida’s public college campuses and poses a threat to collegiate Black Greek Letter organizations.
Recently proposed legislation targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts on Florida’s public college campuses poses a threat to collegiate Black Greek Letter organizations.
House Bill 999, seeks to remove organizations on Florida’s public colleges that “promote, support, or maintain any programs or campus activities that… espouse diversity, equity, and inclusion or Critical Race Theory rhetoric.”
According to Shevrin Jones, state senator of Florida District 34, this bill will not only affect Greek organizations but groups such as Florida State’s Black Student Union, the University of South Florida’s Asian Students in America, or Spectrum, an LGBTQ rights group at Florida A&M.
Robert Tucker was one of several FAMU students present at the meeting to oppose the bill. “If you decide to pass this bill, not only will it affect HBCUs or other state universities in a negative way, in the programs that are implemented, but present and future generations to come. Please do not create a bill that affects over 100 years of progression for minorities just because of personal bias,” Tucker told the lawmakers from a podium.
FAMU student at state legislature meeting to oppose HB 999 / Credit: The Famuan
According to Rep. Alex Andrade of Pensacola, Black-Greek-lettered organizations will not be affected, but many still have questions.
Jacque Slater, a professor at Edward Waters University and a member of a Black Greek organization told First Coast News that the passing of House Bill 999 could hurt diversity equity, and inclusion groups even if the Divine 9 Greek life isn’t banned from public universities.
Sen. Erin Grall, a Republican from Vero Beach introduced an amendment to protect Black fraternities and sororities, removing language that could have inflicted great harm to these organizations.
However, the amendment was rejected and in a 12-5 party-line vote, Republican lawmakers on the House Post Secondary Education and Workforce Subcommittee passed House Bill 999 on March 13. After passing in the House, the Senate must now pass its version of the bill, Senate Bill 266, before it goes to the governor.
State Rep. Yvonne Hayes Hinson, a Gainesville Democrat, told BET.com that HB 999’s language is vague about how it would impact Black Greek-lettered organizations. “I just don’t know to what depth this is going to cut into the activities that they normally have on campus,” Hinson, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha said, adding that she’s also concerned about “a chilling effect” that the measure could have on faculty advisors.
According to Florida senator, Shevrin Jones, if HB 999 were to become law, it would chill academic freedom.
The bill would prohibit majors and minors with curriculums touching on critical race theory, gender studies, and intersectionality. As a result, it could eliminate entire majors such as African American studies, gender studies, and women’s studies.
This problematic bill would also allow the Florida Board of Governors — a 17-member body largely appointed by the governor that oversees all of the public universities in the state — to review and rescind the tenure of professors who do not comply with this mandate.
In addition, the bill bans state schools from “using diversity, equity, and inclusion statements, Critical Race Theory (CRT) rhetoric, or other forms of political identity filters as part of the hiring process, including as part of applications for employment, promotion and tenure, conditions of employment, or reviewing qualifications for employment.”
HB 999 can be viewed as part of Florida Republicans’ and Gov. DeSantis’ systematic attack on public education. Last year, DeSantis signed the ‘Stop Woke Act,’ which stops certain topics related to oppression from being discussed on college campuses. A federal judge blocked its enforcement in November, and on Thursday, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied DeSantis’ right to begin enforcing the law.
