Rapper Megan Thee Stallion and Flamin’ Hot team up to launch Flamin’ Hot University
By Sheyla Fairley
Megan Thee Stallion, Grammy award-winning rapper and HBCU alumna, and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos have partnered to form the fictitious Flamin’ Hot University.
According to an article, an “exclusive line of Flamin’ Hot University merchandise created by streetwear designer Melody Ehsani” includes “a Stallion Varsity Jacket, Hot Girl Club Sweater, and more” with the proceeds from the merchandise going towards establishing a scholarship fund of up to $150,000 at Megan’s alma mater, Texas Southern University in Houston, TX.
“Everyone deserves to be their Flamin’ Hot self, but student loans can create a significant burden on college graduates – especially at HBCUs where students graduate with 19% more debt than those at non-HBCUs,” said Tina Mahal, senior vice president of marketing at Frito-Lay. “The Flamin’ Hot University scholarship fund at TSU was designed to ease some of the financial pressures student loans bring so graduates can focus on unleashing their hottest potential.”
For more information, read the full article here.
Universal Music Group establishes scholarship program at HBCU medical schools
By Sheyla Fairley
Universal Music Group (UMG), the world’s leading music company, has launched an HBCU scholarship program for aspiring doctors through its Task Force for Meaningful Change (TFMC) which focuses on building opportunities for the medical schools at Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN, and Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA.
“Our efforts to direct our philanthropic efforts in a way that combats racial disparities in public health is directly informed by the insights of experts like Dr. Mitchell and Dr. Jones,” said Dr. Menna Demessie, senior vice president UMG and executive director of TFMC, in a release. “Our TFMC members really understand our mission, and they understand the power of music – as well as our collective ability – to leverage our position as industry leaders to make positive social change.”
Clark Atlanta University Art and Fashion students selected to go to Paris by Fulton County’s FACE Program
By Sheyla Fairley
Clark Atlanta University’s, Atlanta, GA, Department of Art and Fashion scholars, Amari Franklin and Ficara Akins, were selected for the Fulton County Fashion Art Culture & Education (FACE) initiative in Paris.
According to an article, Franklin, a senior majoring in Fashion Design, and Akins, a sophomore and Advertising Design major minoring in Fashion Merchandising, will have the “opportunity to gain insight into the Fashion industry through a hands-on field emergence where they will visit design houses and manufacturers and immerse themselves in all things art and fashion during the week-and-a-half-long tour.”
“What an exciting opportunity for our Art and Fashion students, Amari Franklin and Ficara Akins, as they head to Paris for an amazing 10-day educational experience ending with a look at Paris Fashion Week,” said Professor BJ Arnett, Chair of the Art and Fashion Department and Special Assistant to the Dean of Arts and Sciences. “There are so many reasons why these two women were selected. They are both talented and are examples of resilience and tenacity in their fields. This unforgettable experience stands to be an amazing educational and artistic experience for our students due to the partnership between Clark Atlanta University and FACE.”
For more details, read the full article here.
Huston-Tillotson University and BCBSTX collaborate to launch maternal and infant health program
By Sheyla Fairley
According to an article, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) and Huston-Tillotson University, Austin, TX, have partnered to launch Boldly B.L.U.E. (birthing, learning, understanding and empowering), a new program aimed at improving maternal & infant health by increasing “the number of culturally-aligned and diverse doulas, lay midwives and certified lactation consultants in Central Texas while building a maternal health research network that leverages the insights of birth workers and their clients to derive best practices and policy insights.”
“Considering the stark historical and ongoing statistics on maternal health disparities and maternal mental health, we recognize the role that comprehensive, value-based, person-centered and coordinated efforts play in ensuring health equity and high-quality care,” said Dr. Angela Moemeka, chief medical officer for Texas Medicaid at BCBSTX. “We want to continue going above and beyond by listening to community voices and identify the specific challenges that are leading to adverse maternal and infant health outcomes. Then we can make informed investments in our communities, like with HT, to move the needle.”
Read the full article, here.
HBCUs in North Carolina increase esports programs to address lack of diversity in the industry
By Sheyla Fairley
As stated in a release, North Carolina historically Black colleges and universities are “bolstering their esports programming to address the lack of diversity in the industry” as “a study from the Pew Research Center found that 83% of Black teens play video games,” but Black game developers “only make up 5% of the industry.”
The way the schools are addressing the big gap in representation is by “launching esports clubs, building lab spaces and hosting video game competitions” with one of the leaders behind these is the Gaming Cxmmunity Company, a nonprofit whose mission is to “help more students of color enter the esports industry.”
“This is a way to bridge the gap,” said Michael Wisnios, Cxmmunity’s director of operations. “Giving kids the opportunity to not only afford college, but having access to technology they might not even have. Most of our tournaments and events are around making sure to build out these esports labs so they can be multiuse and functional for other educational purposes.”
