Apple, Propel Center To Host HBCU Students For Accelerator Program

Apple and the Propel Center will host 50 students from 19 HBCUs as part of an arts and entertainment industry accelerator program. The Propel Center was launched by Apple and Southern Company three years ago in order to advance the work being done by HBCUs and their students. 



As Variety reports, the program will begin on June 10 at Tennessee State University and will end at Atlanta’s Clark Atlanta University during the week of June 16. The participants in the program will utilize Apple products and technology to create music, and album art, and use tenets of digital marketing to tell stories as well as participate in conversations about careers, socialize with industry experts, and utilize resume-building workshops. 



Apple is one of the major corporations that has not walked back its commitments to social justice and that commitment is best evidenced through its Racial Equity and Justice Initiative (REIJ). Apple’s support for both the Propel Center and the 2024 Arts & Entertainment Industry Accelerator is a part of this wide-ranging set of programs and policies established to support Black, Latinx, and Indigenous communities.



According to Alisha Johnson Wilder, director of Apple’s Racial Equity and Justice Initiative, “Creativity is central to everything we do at Apple, and we’re thrilled to help create more pathways into the arts and entertainment industries for HBCU students. Through Propel Center’s programming, we’re helping expand opportunities for emerging creators from diverse backgrounds by ensuring these talented students have access to the technology, resources, and expertise they need to become leaders in the creative arts.”



Propel Center President Lisa Herring added, “Harnessing the undeniable power of creativity and collaboration has enabled Propel Center and Apple to establish a nurturing and inspiring environment to cultivate the many talents of our HBCU students. This year’s accelerator marks a continued commitment from Apple and our industry partners to help address equity and diversity gaps in the arts and entertainment industry and other critical business sectors.”



As Waymond Jackson Jr., the Interim CEO of the Propel Center at the time the report was released, said in a quote included with Apple’s 2023 REIJ impact Overview, “Propel offers a one-to-many model that inspires innovation with HBCUs and accelerates learning for HBCU learners. Our approach creates greater access to education for HBCU students and equips them as the next generation of technologists and creators.”



According to Apple’s REIJ 2023 Impact Overview , “We established the program with a $100 million commitment, and since then, we’ve more than doubled our commitment to over $200 million. This funding supports projects and partnerships across three priority areas: education, economic empowerment, and criminal justice reform. These are areas where we’ve historically seen disproportionate impacts for underresourced communities. REJI builds on existing Apple efforts focused on advancing equity and increasing access to opportunity, while also creating new programs and partnerships to further grow and have a meaningful impact in this urgent work. Our responsibility to address inequity has never been more clear. We are committed to integrating equity and justice into every aspect of our business in partnership with impacted communities.”



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