Gen Z Doesn’t Know HBCUs

“Tenderism” — “Tenderism” Trademark Wars Explode: Fans Say Viral Uncle Walt Was Snubbed as Legal Filing Sparks Online Chaos

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BFA Collective, Top OF The Morning! Trump is causing controversy by claiming civil rights policies and DEI programs have mistreated White Americans, arguing the Civil Rights Act led to "reverse discrimination." Civil rights leaders criticized his remarks as misleading and dangerous, reigniting a national debate on race and equality. Critics accuse Trump of using resentment to advance his political agenda.

MAIN STORY

🔥 The Attention Economy vs. Black Legacy: What We’re Losing While We Scroll

⚡ THE SPARK

Most high school students don’t even know HBCUs exist.
Let that sit.

Not “they don’t know which ones to apply to.” Not “they’re unsure about the benefits.” According to UNCF data, over 60% of students are barely familiar with HBCUs at all. Meanwhile, these institutions are producing top Black doctors, launching esports degrees, and seeing enrollment growth, yet still feel invisible to the very communities they were built for. We’re living in a time where AI creators are earning $700K a year gaming the algorithm… while Black educational legacy is getting buried by it.

That disconnect isn’t accidental. It’s cultural erosion in real time.

🧠 THE LAYER BELOW

• We’re not lacking excellence, we’re lacking exposure.
  HBCUs are thriving academically and culturally, but students aren’t being shown the option early enough to consider them real pathways.

• Counselors and schools quietly shape outcomes.
  Over half of students say their counselor never once mentioned an HBCU. That omission changes life trajectories.

• The algorithm teaches faster than the classroom does.
  Young people can tell you how to go viral, but can’t name five HBCUs. Attention has replaced awareness.

• We’re watching legacy fade while content farms scale.
  A 22-year-old is building AI-powered media empires optimized for sleep content, while Black history struggles for mindshare.

• History had to fight to be visible.
  The Greensboro Four sat down at a counter and forced America to see them. Today, we’re not forcing visibility for our institutions.

• HBCUs still deliver culturally affirming spaces.
  Students who attend report stronger mental health, stronger identity, and stronger outcomes, yet too many never get the chance.

• This isn’t a student problem. It’s a system problem.
  Awareness gaps are being built into the pipeline: K-12 education, media narratives, and cultural priorities.

🎯 THE REAL QUESTION

If our ancestors risked everything to secure us access to education, why are we allowing algorithms, institutions, and neglect to quietly erase the pathways they built for us?

🔮 WHAT’S NEXT

This moment calls for intentional cultural memory. We don’t just need more college prep programs, we need storytelling, exposure, and pride rebuilt around Black institutions. HBCUs shouldn’t be a niche option discovered senior year. They should be part of the default conversation in middle school, in classrooms, in social feeds, in our homes.

We have the tools to amplify anything today. If AI channels can reach millions with faceless content, we can absolutely reach millions with real history, real opportunity, and real legacy.

The future isn’t about fighting for a seat at the table anymore.
It’s about making sure the next generation knows the table exists, and teaching them why it matters.

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