Prepare for an uplifting celebration as the breakfast klub, the popular Houston eatery, gears up for the much-anticipated 2nd Annual HBCU Sendoff Party on Aug. 5.
As Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) experience a remarkable resurgence of interest and support, the event aims to extend a warm welcome to incoming freshman students, fostering a sense of community and encouragement as they embark on their educational journeys.
Spearheaded by Marcus Davis, the visionary owner of the breakfast klub and a proud alumnus of Texas Southern University, the gathering seeks to highlight the pivotal role of HBCUs in nurturing Black culture, promoting academic excellence, and fostering the growth of Black wealth in America.
The event is expected to have hundreds of students attend, and this spirited occasion promises to be an empowering celebration of knowledge, heritage and unity.
The Defender spoke to Davis who shared his passion for HBCUs and offered a glimpse into the inspiring vision that lies ahead for this sendoff celebration.
Defender: What inspired you to organize this event specifically for HBCU freshmen?
Davis: We organized this because it was necessary. It’s that simple. It’s necessary to build and support our institutions, and we do that through our time and money, and of course, our children. And when we do what is necessary, I think that needs to be celebrated and recognized. So, we decided to recognize and celebrate the students making this decision to be part of the historical Black colleges and universities.
Defender: You are an alum of an HBCU. How has attending one impacted you?
Davis: Yes. Texas Southern University. It impacted me immensely. It was one of the greatest experiences; one of the most formative experiences in my life. And to be part of such rich heritage and tradition and history adds more value.
Defender: Are there any particular challenges that HBCU freshmen face, and how does this event aim to address those challenges?
Davis: HBCUs face challenges no different than other colleges and universities [or predominantly white institutions], outside of being an HBCU and having to fight for funding. That’s pretty much it.
Defender: What can attendees expect from this event in terms of activities and experiences?
Davis: It’s just a party for the kids. One of the biggest things about this is the celebration of the choice to participate in HBCUs, and going off to school is a big deal. I got so many thank yous from parents, saying [their kids] met some people that were going to school with them and helped them when they got to school. To build that comradery early on, there’s already a fraternity or sorority in a sense. There is this understood connectivity. So, to be able to be on the early side of getting them to be embraced and introduced to this is great.
Defender: How can the community get involved and show their support for HBCU college freshmen through this event?
Davis: First and foremost, making sure that we are diligent and deliberate about sending our children to HBCUs without exception and without excuse. I cannot stress that enough. The first thing we could do is make a conscious effort to intentionally send our children to an HBCU. My household, for example, all of my children have to go to an HBCU for undergrad. That is a house rule. Whether on my dollar or the school’s dollar, it doesn’t matter. My goal is to inspire them to aspire to an HBCU. My role as a parent is to guide them in the right direction. The second thing the community can do is let any freshman know that this [event] is happening. If they know of folks going to an HBCU and they’re upcoming freshmen, let them know. Thirdly, we’ve got to get serious about giving. Children are our resource. We give them away to PWIs and let them get the benefits. We give our students to the University of Texas and the Texas A&Ms and that school gets the credit and gets the money for it. We’ve got to send our assets, our children to our universities so they can benefit [and vice versa]. The endowments of Alabama and Harvard didn’t become billion-dollar endowments on their own. They did because somebody reached in their pockets and wrote checks.
Defender: Are there any long-term goals or plans in place to continue supporting HBCU students beyond this event?
Davis: My goal is to create a pipeline where these children that we invited last year come back to support the incoming freshman. We’re hoping that we build a familiarity. We’re hoping to make this thing so big that you want to go to an HBCU just because you went to the party at the breakfast klub. If you as a community are not building industry within your own community and employing and educating your own, you can’t point at someone else and blame the white man for what you aren’t doing for your own people.
