Let's Send Sydney to Howard University!

Sydney is graduating from high school soon and heading to Howard University! Isn't that cool?!

Here’s the challenge: while it's her dream to attend an HBCU, she's not sure how she’s going to pay for Howard. She has received merit and Pell grants, as well as outside scholarships, but her current deficit for Freshman year is nearly $30,000. While she is continuing to apply for additional scholarships and grants, I asked her if she would be okay with me fundraising on her behalf.

My goal is to 100% fund Sydney’s Freshman year at Howard University to allow her to focus on her first year of college and help reduce her future student loan burden.

So far, we have $10,000 in matching funds from two generous donors. This means that every dollar you donate will be matched! I know we can send Sydney off to Howard with $30k in the bank -- and I hope you will join me in making that happen. Every dollar counts. No donation is too small...and of course no donation is too big. If we exceed our goal, she can get a jumpstart on next year's tuition, too!

I've seen Sydney's intelligence, motivation, and tenacity firsthand over the last year as we've worked together on several community and volunteer projects. Supporting her is an investment in our collective future. Please join us!

Here's a bit more about Sydney in her own words:

Sydney is a youth activist, political organizer, and creative director dedicated to building a world where Black youth can thrive unapologetically. As an incoming freshman at Howard University, she brings with her a strong foundation in community organizing, storytelling, and leadership. Sydney is passionate about transforming systems that harm marginalized communities—particularly through narrative power, coalition building, and youth-centered advocacy.

She is the founder of the Black Student Leadership Alliance, a statewide coalition uniting Black student organizations to mobilize around education justice, policy reform, and community power. Her work bridges the gap between local and statewide organizing, empowering young people to lead movements of change.

Sydney is also a committed mentor and creative educator. Through her girls’ mentorship program, she nurtures interpersonal growth, confidence, and sisterhood among young women. As a storyteller, she uses creative tools—whether public speaking, curriculum design, or content creation—to amplify community voices and inspire action.

She believes in the power of intergenerational collaboration and is passionate about cultivating healing spaces that center the wisdom of elders and the energy of youth.