HBCU Pride Nation President Releases Final Statement Regarding Howard University and Jawana Ingram

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Nov. 10, 2015 - PRLog -- Travis P. Jackson, President & CEO of HBCU Pride Nation issued the following statement on the incident concerning the eviction of Jawanza Ingram by Howard University and the Call To Action’s Housing Offer by donor:


"When we first heard of the story, #HomelessAtHoward, we were outraged. At the time, we knew no specifics of the matter, but that a student, one of our own, had no where to go, so we had to step in and bring attention to this matter. Our social media campaign, allowed us to garner the attention of a generous Howard Alumnus, who offered access to a three-bedroom home, free-of-charge, for the remainder of the 2015-2016 school year. We found a solution within 12 hours of the story’s release.

After careful discussion with our board of directors, the prospective donor, and our communications team, we must rescind our offer of housing, at this time.

While we love and support any student with the courage to combat, what they feel, are injustices in their schools’ policies, we simply cannot be in the middle of this fight. As an organization, our only focus was the students’ safety and well-being. Our focus was his housing.

Numerous failed attempts, made by both our prospective donor and HPN officials, coupled with the students’ disappointment that the proposed housing would be 10 miles from school (while accessible to convenient public transportation) lead us to believe that the student, no longer, shares in this focus.

HBCU Pride Nation is a budding brand with less than 10% of our operating staff mandated as interns. Because of this, our commitment to change keeps us in a constant overflow of students, with similar issues, constantly needing our help. We simply cannot stay on this matter, any longer.

Please note, HBCU Pride Nation has not taken an official position with regards to Howard’s decision. As an organization, we represent and believe in the value of both our Students and our Universities and its especially difficult for us when the two do not agree.

While the securing of housing was of an urgent priority for our organization and the donor, we feel that Jawanza’s focus has shifted to, instead combating school policy. We simply do not want to stand in the middle of his fight.

We are a family, comprised of students and institutions, faculty and alumni. Our only prayer is that both he and his institution are able to come to a peaceful resolve to such a public and unfortunate circumstance.

Wishing him the best in his endeavors and a speedy end to this circumstance.


About HBCU Pride Nation

HBCU Pride Nation is a global brand that works to promote the significance and importance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in an effort to increase the national positive awareness and enrollment of our institutions. We focus on edifying the lives of prospective students by bridging the gap between HBCU institutions, current student bodies, alumni, and the communities in which they live. For more information about HPN please visit: www.hbcupridenation.com.