Back Where It Started: 10th Annual HBCU Think Tank

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are beacons of change committed to providing a safe, transformative space for Black and Brown students. North Carolina HBCU colleges and institutions have spearheaded a plethora of social justice and civil rights movements that have changed the trajectory of our society. The 10th Annual HBCU Think Tank further advances the importance of college students building movements that aid in change within our communities. This safe space ensures that North Carolina HBCU students have the skill sets, knowledge, and empowerment to continue the good fight beyond college matriculation.

Building on last year’s HBCU Think Tank theme, “Our Turn: The Story Continues,” the event aimed to amplify the role that storytelling plays in organizing, community engagement, and movement building. The North Carolina Black Alliance and Common Cause NC worked intentionally to provide attendings with skill set training to equip them with the necessary skills to advance this work within their campus and the broader community. Beyond this, they attended various breakout sessions that shed light on sociopolitical issues such as The Power of the Black Dollar by Angelique Stallings (Durham Chamber of Commerce), Affirmative Action & DEI by Kamille Bostick (CREED NC), Food Deserts and Food Disparities by Brayndon Stafford and Chad Martin (NCBA) and so many other engaging sessions. Participating in this kind of work can be a strenuous task. To ensure attendees understood the importance of prioritizing their well-being, we implemented various holistic components like guided meditation by Elev8, journaling, and casual breaks.

This year, we implemented two new events, a Sneakerball and Brunch ‘n Bidness. The Sneakerball was created as a semi-formal event to highlight HBCU culture and further build on our theme. Tiffany D. Loftin was our keynote speaker who truly ignited a fire in every student. One of her remarkable statements, “Mr. Say ain’t nothing, and Mr. Do is the man,” challenged students to not only talk the talk but to walk it as well! Also, we recognized several sponsor organization members for their hard work, commitment, and service. The awardees included:

• Dr. Frankie Powell, Pioneer Award recipient
• Marcus Bass, Trailblazer Award recipient
• Alyssa Canty, Trailblazer Award recipient
• Aigné Taylor, Service Award recipient
• Vashti Hinton-Smith, Service Award recipient

Our Brunch ‘n Bidness was our closing event, which included Winston Robinson as our speaker! He engaged with attendees about their experience as young organizers and highlighted the importance of community involvement. So many students left feeling empowered and energized. Alexander Riche from North Carolina A&T State University shared:

“Being able to attend the 10th annual HBCU Think Tank was a great and enriching experience. I was able to connect with other very passionate student leaders from HBCUs all over North Carolina. That meant from Shaw to Johnson C. Smith, and lowered battle lines with NC A&T and Central, but we know it is always a due showing of love. We went into discussions about the upcoming year in democracy, really driving home the focus of civic engagement. These conversations were not only enlightening to have, but they were very inspiring. We explored ways to bring these very crucial dialogues back to our campuses, as we want to foster an environment where civic participation is highly encouraged. Many of us are at our respective schools because of this same civic groundwork that many of our elders laid before us. We want to continue to aim for more significant conversations as such to resonate within our communities and campuses and drive home a truly positive renaissance of our history. Being a member of the 10th, count them, TENTH, annual HBCU Think Tank meant so much to me, and I walked away inspired to do even more than was planned. I thank everyone on the NC Black Alliance staff, and to my peers that were there. We are now beginning to open the flood gates, here’s to ten more.”

Another attendee, Kayla Jones from North Carolina A&T State University, shared:

“Learning about yourself allows you to be more comfortable in uncomfortable situations, that’s what the HBCU Think Tank taught me. It taught me to project myself with confidence and courage to freely be me. As a first year, I gained more than what I came for. I came to learn more about my community and how to plan solutions to help, but I gained friends, knowledge, experience, growth for myself and I will forever be thankful for the HBCU Think Tank!”

The HBCU Think Tank is more than just a conference or educational event. It’s an HBCU reunion, a space for growth and leadership development, plenty of laughs, and so many long-lasting connections. We’re so happy to see the vision of the HBCU Think Tank continuously grow 10 years later.