Rdevia announces #HBCUteenth 2023, the 3rd iteration of awards given to HBCU Alumni who Fight for Freedom in their daily work! We are now accepting nominations of HBCU Alumni who Fight for Education Access, Racial Equity, and Social Justice.
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
Nominations will begin on March 1 and end on March 7, 2023. Nominations can be made at: rdevia.org/hbcuteenth
NEXT STEPS
Nominees will be notified after March 7 and given time to accept their nomination.
Nominees who accept their nominations will be evaluated by a panel of past winners who will select the finalists for each award.
We will recognize all nominees and announce the finalists at Dew in the Morning on Saturday, April 1. All nominees and finalists will be given a Zoom link to access the screening for free.
Finalists will compete in a social media contest in June. The amount of votes a finalist receives will be combined with their score from the judges to determine the winner of each category.
We will publicly announce the #HBCUteenth winners of on June 19, 2023 via social media.
THE AWARDS
#HBCUteenth Winners will receive a Freedom Kit that includes a plaque, a printed copy of the Awards Journal (see the 2021 Awards Journal here), and gifts from Black-Owned Businesses like Hot Chocolat, Jelana's Bake Shop, and Naija Grille Spice Mix. In 2024, all winners will be reconvened for a Freedom Discussion that will air on Juneteenth (see the 2022 Freedom Discussion here).
Winners will also be connected with our past winners including model HBCU Alumni like Tevon A. Blair, M.A. (Dillard University), Ebony Gordon (Tennessee State University), Pastor Glotavia Morris (Claflin University), Aleandra Pinder, M.S. (Florida Memorial University), and Adarian Williams, M.P.P. (Grambling State University).
NOMINATION GUIDELINES
We are accepting nominations of HBCU Alumni who graduated after 2013 and is making a great impact towards one of our three designated causes:
Education Access
Rdevia believes everyone is entitled to a quality education and the necessary resources for success. To this end, we seek nominations of HBCU Alumni doing work in the following focus sub-areas:
Education (e.g. K-12, higher education, etc.)
Adult Education (e.g. vocational, career, workforce education, etc.)
Community Education (e.g. voter education, health and wellness education, etc.)
Racial Equity
Rdevia believes that the historical marginalization of certain racial-ethnic groups needs to be addressed in a concerted effort of those affected and those with the power, privilege, and resources to make tangible change. To this end, we seek nominations of HBCU Alumni doing work in the following focus sub-areas:
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Community Advocacy and Civil Rights
Public Health (particularly focused on issues affecting minorities like Sickle Cell, etc.)
Social Justice
Rdevia believes that people of color should have the agency of choice in matters that impact their livelihood and humanity. To this end, we seek nominations of HBCU alumni doing work in the following focus sub-areas:
Financial Inequity
Community Organizing
Police Brutality and Inequity in Incarceration
NOTE: Should you know someone who is doing work related to Education Access, Racial Equity, or Social Justice but not exactly in one of the identified focus sub-areas, please still nominate them. Our focus sub-areas are examples not priorities. Also, you may nominate the same person for more than one award and even nominate yourself.
For more information, please email: info@rdevia.org
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ABOUT RDEVIA
Rdevia (arr-deh-vee-uh) is a Public Charitable 501(C)(3) Nonprofit Organization that provides opportunities and resources like scholarships, care packages, and professional development to HBCU Prospects, Students, and Graduates. Rdevia was founded on March 5, 2015 by Marquise M. McGriff, M.A. during his first year as a student at Florida Memorial University. Rdevia is fueled by the generosity of its Members, Leaders, Friends in 20 States plus China and Ghana. Connect with Rdevia on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.