Xceleader

Xceleader is proud to announce that we have been awarded a $500,000 support grant from The David and Lucile Packard Foundation’s Justice and Equity Fund to further our effort to connect emerging leaders from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to ladders of power through leadership development and mentorship. Thank you, Packard Foundation, for investing in our commitment to empower the next generation of Black leaders. See full press release here: https://lnkd.in/dumBA9QX #blackhistorymonth #leadership #HBCU

Today, Xceleader’s Atlanta Alumni Club spent our Saturday morning with The King’s Table at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. Our team of volunteers helped to load 200+ cars with food for families in the community. We hope to have more HBCU alumni to join us next month! Every first Saturday of the month, we will be volunteering with The King’s Table. #hbcualumni

This month, Xceleader hosted our first all-staff meeting since our team has expended from 4 to now over 25 HBCU alumni committed to supporting the next generation of leaders at HBCUs. This is how we give back. Team Xceleader consists of HBCU alumni from Tennessee State, Xavier, FAMU, Dillard, Howard, Benedict and so many more who volunteer to support our programs and alumni clubs across our three cities. Thank you to our team of dedicated leaders committed to giving back. #TeamXceleader

This Valentine’s Day, our Xceleader DC Club spread love by volunteering with DC Central Kitchen preparing meals for the community. Since 1989, DC Central Kitchen has been a resource for the DC community, not only by feeding the souls of the city with healthy meals but through life-changing culinary training to more than 2,200 adults facing barriers to employment, preparing them for careers in the hospitality industry. We thank the staff at DC Central Kitchen for welcoming us to their kitchen. We look forward to coming back to serve.

The visual storytelling behind the Vote HBCU “Say It Louder” Tour was led by Tennessee State University student Ashlan Collins. His creative approach to videography and photography captured powerful moments across the 10-stop tour to share the story of HBCU students merging HBCU culture with civic engagement. Ashlan filmed, edited and produced the launch, recap and promotional videos and captured photos while on tour. His content was featured on MSNBC and in publications including Inside Higher Ed, The Washington Post and the Daytona Times. It was also shown on the main stage of this year’s Global Citizen Fest in New York. At Xceleader, we’re dedicated to investing in HBCU student entrepreneurs like Ashlan, providing real-world, paid opportunities to showcase their talents and amplify the voices of their communities. #VoteHBCU #blackbusiness #SchoolofHustle

Last week, five HBCU students participated in Lumina Foundation’s HBCU Conference in New Orleans as paid content creators through Xceleader’s HBCU School of Hustle program. This program equips student entrepreneurs with practical experiences to build their skills and networks. At the conference, the students interviewed university presidents, faculty, and policy experts from HBCUs across the country, highlighting the critical role of Black colleges. We look forward to continuing to provide opportunities that empower HBCU students to share their stories and perspectives.

Congratulations to Aarian J. Forman, Co-Founder of?Xceleader, for being recognized in the 2025 #ForbesUnder30 Education list! Xceleader?works to empower students at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to become leaders in entrepreneurship and social activism. More than 8,000 students and alumni have participated in its workshops, mentorship and nonpartisan civic-engagement programs.

Last week, our co-founder and two-time graduate of Tennessee State University, Aarian J. Forman was named in Forbes 30 under 30 2025 list under its education category. Aarian’s leadership has been essential to the growth and development of Xceleader since its founding, ensuring that HBCU students are equipped with the skills and knowledge to lead effectively. Aarian leads the organization’s HBCU School of Hustle program which supports student entrepreneurship through expert mentorship, resources, funding, and hands-on experiences. We are proud of this recognition as it highlights the transformative impact of Xceleader’s work and our mission to empower the next generation of HBCU leaders.

Entrepreneurship is evolving, and for today’s college students, content creation has become a powerful pathway to launch businesses. Today, Xceleader’s HBCU School of Hustle program is proud to announce five HBCU student content creators selected for a paid opportunity to use their platforms to cover Lumina Foundation’s HBCU conference. Students include: Jada Foote of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Karah Rainwater of Southern University and A&M College- Baton Rouge, Jason Adams of Dillard University, Tatiana Bell of Florida A&M University and Trinity Williams of Spelman College.

Last weekend, our XceleadHER program welcomed 80 women representing 28 HBCU campuses to Washington, D.C. for year five of the HBCU Women’s Leadership Summit, in partnership with Running Start. During the summit, our leaders networked on Capitol Hill and attended a full day of sessions and training. Thank you to Vital Voices Global Partnership for hosting us again this year. #HWLS24