Established before the Civil Rights Act, historically Black colleges and universities, also known as HBCUs, have long served as an asset for African Americans to obtain higher education. Today, they continue to provide opportunities for Black and non-Black students and have seen a surge in enrollment over the past several years. But connecting can be difficult, especially in Colorado, a state without a strong legacy of HBCU graduates. That’s why Myles Chapman, an incoming freshman at Morehouse College, founded Colorado HBCU Connect.
“My decision to attend an HBCU was a no-brainer. Throughout high school I’ve always been passionate about going to an HBCU and realized the importance of them,” Chapman said. “Most professional spaces in this country are predominantly white, so HBCUs are important because they allow Black scholars from across the country to network with each other across many career and professional fields. They have such a positive impact on the Black community. HBCUs are some of the only places in the country where you see so many influential and educated Black people working together and networking towards something bigger.”
Colorado HBCU Connect is a nonprofit organization that aims to connect, empower and support students in Colorado who go on to attend HBCUs across the nation. Founded by Chapman earlier this year, the organization engages with those in the community through monthly newsletters, social events and college prep workshops.
“Because there are no HBCUs in Colorado it’s necessary to spread more awareness about the importance of HBCUs to Black students that live here. The gap of having no HBCUs here creates less connections and networking opportunities for Colorado HBCU students,” Chapman said.
Of the 101 HBCUs in the U.S., the majority are located in the South. They offer lower tuition rates, increase the number of minorities in STEM fields, and aid in narrowing the racial wealth gap. Many Colorado students chose to go to these schools despite the state not having any. Unique experiences can encourage Black students to attend these colleges and universities even if they are in a different state.
“Growing up, I never had the opportunity to have classroom settings with Black professors,” said Avani Houston, a member of HBCU Connect and current sophomore at Howard University. “College is only four years of your life, so why not be in an environment that values my Black excellence and encourages me to be my best self.”
HBCUs provide Black students with the opportunity to gain a higher education while also being immersed in an environment where they feel like they can belong and succeed with their peers.
In addition to the lack of knowledge that Colorado students may have about these schools, many students from other states that attend the schools can misunderstand our western state.
“There are times where I’ve been in HBCU spaces, and people are unaware that there are even Black people in Colorado or that anyone from Colorado attended HBCUs,” Houston said. “So, I think that [the organization] will be a really good platform to just get a better understanding of Colorado out there to people because when we’re in HBCU spaces, we have some amazing people that are Colorado natives and can show others what we’re trying to do here.”
By creating a space in Colorado for HBCU students to get together and inform others about their significance, members of the organization can use their skills and knowledge when they are in these spaces in a beneficial way. Acknowledging these Colorado students’ accomplishments and hard work through student spotlights and their most recent event, a launch photoshoot, has allowed Colorado HBCU Connect to get off to a great start.
“It was really cool to gather a bunch of HBCU people together and just talk about our experiences and the culture at our schools. It was great for me because I also got to see some of my friends from Howard University in Colorado and we got to take some good pictures,” Houston said.
Although Colorado HBCU Connect will not have any more summer events, Chapman has big plans for the organization’s next steps.
“I think talking to younger students that are in high school and middle school is essential as well, kind of just to get them thinking about their future and what they would want to do. I do plan to connect with other nonprofits in Colorado, like Rise 5280, which is an HBCU tour provider,” Chapman said.
Students who currently attend HBCUs can apply to become members through the organization’s sign-up form. HBCUs continue to play a crucial role in the pathways that are offered for Black students to continue their education in a comfortable environment.
“I felt it was my duty to debunk any of the negative stereotypes that come with HBCUs because if there is anything I have learned from being at Howard, it is that I am meant to be in every room I step foot in, whether I am the only Black woman or woman in general, that space deserves my presence,” Houston said.
