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How Harlem Hops, a Craft Beer Bar, is Giving Back to Harlem Students
Feb 12 2021

After lamenting over the lack of locations uptown where beer lovers could enjoy high-quality, rare, innovative brews, partners Kim Harris, Stacey Lee, and Kevin Bradford turned their passion for pints and philanthropy into the first Black-owned craft beer bar in Harlem.

The bar’s name Harlem Hops serves as a clever double entendre. The streets of Harlem truly do hop with energy, music, and flavor, and situated in the heart of it all at 2268 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd., just a few blocks from the historic Apollo Theater, the unique taproom fits right in.


The Owners, Kim Harris, Stacey Lee, and Kevin Bradford

The Harlem Hopes Scholarship

Tapping back into the community was a priority for the three HBCU alumnus and soon after opening they announced the release of a very special company brew. Not a beer but a Nonprofit, called Harlem Hopes, a nationally recognized 501c3 was established by the partners to provide scholarships to Harlem students with goals of attending a Historical Black College or University.

“We wanted to give back to the community that continues to support and give to us. We love HBCU and we really wanted to drive home for our young people to go where you’re celebrating, not where you’re tolerated. Giving them an opportunity to not only learn about HBCUs but to also obtain a scholarship to attend an HBCU of their choice was very important to us.” explains Lee.

In the two years since the Harlem Hopes began, eight Harlem graduates have been awarded scholarships to prominent HBCUs like Morehouse, Spellman, and Morgan State. One hundred percent of the proceeds from Harlem Hopes goes directly into the scholarship fund and through donations, fundraising, and partnerships with other Black-owned spirit businesses like Uncle Nearest Whiskey, they are excited to continue paying it forward in the years to come.

The Harlem Hopes scholarship application is open to any local graduating senior with a 2.7 GPA, but when selecting a recipient, one of the most important factors to the partners, especially Kim Harris a Harlem native herself, is the student’s desire to carry on the Harlem Hopes legacy by using their education to make an impact in Harlem and the world.

 

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Spoiler: Full article

Flint woman helping students continue their education at HBCUs
Updated Mar 09, 2021

Alonna Tipton poses for a portrait in her office Tuesday, March 9, 2021 at Re-Connect My Life in Flint Township. (Cody Scanlan | MLive.com)

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By Isis Simpson-Mersha | isimpson@mlive.com
FLINT, MI — Alonna Tipton felt a sense of community, earned a degree and gained an experience of a lifetime when she attended an HBCU, or historically Black college and university.

She wants to help give students in her community the same opportunity that she was granted.

Tipton, a Jackson State University graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology, started a nonprofit organization called the ACTion Foundation to provide scholarship opportunities for returning college students in the Flint area who are actively attending a HBCU.

“I was thinking when I went off to school I had a great support system that helped me throughout my four years of being away,” Tipton said. “I just wanted to be an assistance to my community.”

The nonprofit founder said she observes many high schoolers being able to attend college but oftentimes have trouble securing the funds to continue their education past freshman year.

Requirements to be eligible for the scholarship include possessing a 3.0 or higher GPA, an official transcript, a native of the Flint area and a current HBCU student returning as a sophomore, junior or senior.

The Flint native made one of the requirements tied to being a student at an HBCU because of the help and education she received while she was there.

“It’s not familiar in our community, or the city of Flint, to attend a HBCU,” Tipton explained. “We have to leave the whole state just to get that experience and because of my experience I want to give other students and other people an opportunity to experience it.”

The nearest HBCU to Flint or Michigan is Central State University, located in Wilberforce, Ohio.

The foundation, established in September 2020, didn’t receive any applicants for the scholarship last year, but is preparing for scholarship students this year with the application process opening in June.

The minimum scholarship granted to students will be $250, Tipton said. Students can also apply more than once for the scholarship as long as they continue to meet the requirements.

The nonprofit is funded by donations from Tipton’s family members, colleagues, friends, and local residents.

“I’m really excited to get the word out there, it’s just a small thing, but I see the bigger picture,” Tipton said

 

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Spoiler: Full article

In 2019, NuContext Founder & Executive Producer Angela Guice traveled to legendary Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to film a new music video for Lizzo. It was Lizzo’s vision to celebrate HBCU marching band culture and the joy of homecoming. Bringing this vision to life at Southern University, the first state-funded institution for Black people in Louisiana, and home of the incomparable Human Jukebox and Fabulous Dancing Dolls was a no-brainer. Once the NuContext crew and Director Alan Ferguson landed in Louisiana, it was clear that Southern University was a special place full of creativity with some very talented students.



“I immediately felt at home at Southern University,” says Guice. “Throughout filming, we had the pleasure to spend time with the incredible students. Many were eager to learn and inspired with the production process. One of those students was Chaselynn Grant, who we are proud to welcome as our first recipient of our NuContext HBCU to Hollywood program. We are thrilled to have Chaselynn join us in Hollywood this summer."



The new internship includes a $5,000 scholarship to cover travel, living expenses and continuing education for a six to eight-week internship opportunity in Hollywood with NuContext. “We want to make sure that all qualified students have the ability to get real world experience, mentorship and make connections for future careers in the entertainment business,” adds Guice.


“This is an amazing internship opportunity for our students to learn about the film industry and the production process,” says Tamara Foster-Montgomery, Director of Career Services at Southern University. “Our students are creative, reliable and innovative thinkers who are equipped with skills, gifts, and talents that will take them to the next level. Southern University continues to produce scholars who are knowledgeable and eager to learn in this fast-paced and competitive industry.”



“I am humbled to be selected as NuContext’s first Intern,” says college student Chaselynn Grant. “I look forward to working with the staff and learning new things about the film industry. I plan to move to California after I graduate from Southern University and A&M College. I view this internship as the first steppingstone into learning more about my future career. I want to thank Ms. Guice for selecting me for this internship and always giving back to HBCU students. I hope that this internship inspires not only HBCU students, but also young women that if you continue, there is never a limit to what you can do. No matter what you do, someone is always watching and supporting you.”



Born and raised in South Mississippi, NuContext’s Guice understands how important it is to provide the “foot-in-the-door” opportunities, and how few and far between these moments exist for underrepresented students who have a dream of working and thriving in Hollywood. “Creating a diverse and inclusive work force in the entertainment industry is top of mind for everyone in our business,” explains Guice. “And when you start asking yourself how you can impact meaningful change? The answer is to start with one person. All it takes is someone to say ‘Yes.’ And that can change someone’s entire career path and future. I’m proud to have seen this happen for so many young people, including myself, and we are thrilled to partner with Southern University Baton Rouge to help provide these opportunities for their students. But this is just the beginning.



“There are so many under-represented students out there with big dreams,” concludes Guice. “My hope for this initiative is to get other production companies and studios involved with sponsoring students from across the country. Through these partnerships, we can create lasting and life-changing opportunities for young people, and for our industry.”



Southern University in Baton Rouge is the flagship of the Southern University System, the only HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) system in the nation

 

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Morehouse College Receives $2 Million from The Ray Charles Foundation for Business Major Scholarships
March 29, 2021

Morehouse College received a $2 million gift from The Ray Charles Foundation. The funds will be used to provide scholarships to outstanding business majors.

The Ray Charles Foundation scholarship will honor foundation president Valerie Ervin, Morehouse Board of Trustees member and foundation chairman Robert C. Davidson Jr., board chairman emeritus.

The gift will fund the Valerie Ervin Student Success Endowed Scholarship and the Robert C. Davidson Jr. Student Success Endowed Scholarship. The scholarships will be given through the school’s student success program, launched in 2019 to help students financially after graduation.

“Ray was a musical innovator who had a heart for underserved communities and human rights struggles worldwide. He had a quiet but passionate approach to philanthropy which underscored his approach to creativity and performance style. But it is that quiet force that has led The Ray Charles Foundation to be at the forefront of generous donations to various institutions across the United States,” Ervin said. “Ray believed that access to quality education was a fundamental right that is paramount to curbing poverty. I am honored to share my name that will support the education of business majors who have a passion for community activism and operate in the spirit of excellence displayed by Ray Charles.”

Since 1995, the nonprofit organization – named after the Grammy-winning musician– has donated more than $9.6 million to the school.

 

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Bennett College to Receive $25,000 from Fashion Nova and Megan Thee Stallion
March 31, 2021

Bennett College – a historically Black liberal arts college for women – will receive $25,000 from Fashion Nova Cares, e-commerce fashion lifestyle brand Fashion Nova and Grammy-winning artist Megan Thee Stallion.

Bennett’s $25,000 will go towards its Center for Entrepreneurial Studies.

Throughout March, Fashion Nova Cares pledged to support and donate $1,000,000 to women entrepreneurs, female students, school, women-owned businesses and female-focused charities and organizations.

“Megan Thee Stallion, Fashion Nova Cares and Fashion Nova launched the Women on Top initiative to run in conjunction with Fashion Nova’s ongoing support of various activism and awareness campaigns committed to fighting racial inequality. Today, Fashion Nova Cares is highlighting the work of HBCUs and has chosen Bennett as one of the Colleges,” according to Bennett officials.