Hampton University Alumna’s HBCyoU Dolls being sold at Target
By Sheyla Fairley
Hampton University, Hampton, VA, alumna Brooke Hart Jones is the creator of the HBCyoU Dolls. As stated in a release, the 18-inch dolls produced by Purpose Toys are now available at Target with the aim to “share the magic of HBCUs with children far and wide.”
Purpose Toys’ mission is to “enhance cultural identity for children who seek cultural play experiences, ages three and up” and to give children “a sense of ethnic familiarity and be an aspirational role model.”
“While ‘diversity,’ ‘representation’ and ‘inclusion’ are slowly becoming the corporate norm, more work needs to be done to bring cultural nuances, authentic brand stories, and Black ownership to the toy aisle. We hope to affect positive change not only in toy development but in business overall,” said DeeDee Wright-Ward, founder of Purpose Toys.
Partnership between Getty Images and Denny’s to preserve history at HBCUs
By Sheyla Fairley
Getty Images, an American visual media company, and Denny’s, one of America’s largest franchised full-service restaurant chains, launched a partnership to help preserve the history of historically Black colleges and universities at the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival.
As stated in a release, Denny’s will provide “stipends to students at the participating HBCUs who have been chosen as the recipients of the Getty Images Photo Archive Grants for HBCUs,” a program that will “significantly support the digitization of the invaluable visual history of HBCUs so that it can be honored, revered and accessed for years to come.”
“Ultimately, the goal of this program is to make a difference in the way the world views history and this will provide a wealth of content for publications and textbooks to be filled with historical events that are relevant to us and were photographed by us,” said Cassandra Illidge, vice president of global partnerships and executive director of the HBCU Grants Program at Getty Images.
Edward Waters University appoints new track & field/cross country coach
By Sheyla Fairley
Marquita Mines has been named as the new Indoor/Outdoor Track & Field and Cross Country Head Coach at Edward Waters University, Jacksonville, FL.
According to an article, Mines has always had an interest in track & field since she received an “undergraduate degree in Leisure Studies with a Concentration in Sports and Wellness Studies before obtaining a master’s degree in Sports Management with a certification in Athletic Administration” for Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, NH.
Previously, Mines served as the assistant indoor/outdoor track & field coach at Division III Roanoke College in Salem, VA and, before Roanoke, worked as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, MD.
For more details, read the full article here.
La’Tasha Bynum named NCCU cheerleading head coach after LuAnn Edmonds-Harris retires
By Sheyla Fairley
LuAnn Edmonds-Harris has announced her retirement as head cheerleading coach after 30 years at North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC. She will be succeeded by La’Tasha Bynum, one of her former cheerleaders and longtime assistant coach.
“I remember meeting La’Tasha when she came to NCCU as a freshman,” stated Edmonds-Harris. “She was an outstanding cheerleader – very classy and creative. She served as captain in her junior and senior years, then started her coaching career after graduating from NCCU. She gave of herself and made so many sacrifices, it is wonderful to see her come full circle as a coach. I am forever grateful for everything she has done. I knew that as my time as a coach came to a close, there was no one more deserving of the opportunity to be the next head coach than La’Tasha. I know her legacy will speak for itself and I’m so excited about the newness of the program as they continue to dare to be different.”
For more information, read the full article here.
NIH awards $4M to UNC and NC A&T to boost diversity in nutrition, obesity, and diabetes research
By Sheyla Fairley
North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, have received a $4 million grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health.
According to an article, the grant will “help to establish the North Carolina Consortium for Diversity Career Development in Nutrition, Obesity, and Diabetes Research” where it will be led by Elizabeth Mayer-Davis, a professor of nutrition and medicine at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, and Elimelda Moige Ongeri, a professor and dean at N.C. A&T’s college of health and human sciences.
The consortium will launch this month and run through July 2027.
Read the full article, here.
