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UaB Info
UNapologetically BLACK (UaB)is a 501©3 organization. Our mission is
(1) to provide scholarship funds to Ohio students attending accredited Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) and
(2) to encourage unity, self-love, social awareness, cultural awareness, and self-
sufficiency in the Black community. Our vision is to cultivate a new generation of influential socially
conscious Black leaders in the United States.
UaB was created as a response to increasing college tuition costs, as well as a decline in
enrollment among Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). HBCUs are institutions
that were established prior to 1964 with the principal mission of educating Black Americans.
These institutions were founded during the Jim Crow era and, by providing access to higher education, contributed substantially to the progress Black Americans made in improving their status.
UaB was also created as a response to unite and empower the Black community.
During the Jim Crow era, the Black community sustained itself with its own press, businesses,
churches, banks, and schools. Today, a lot of these institutions are far and few in between, as
Blacks have abandoned them to join those of the status quo. According to the 2012 Greater
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Diverse by Design: Meeting the Talent Challenge in a Global Economy report, Blacks only represent 11.9% of the total population in comparison to Whites at 81.6%.
Often, this results in organizations that lack effective diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
The study also reported that Black minority business owners average only 6.9% in comparison to the 11.9% peer average.
Lastly, only 16% of Blacks have bachelor’s degrees in comparison to 29.9% White,
63.6% Asian, and 24.9% Hispanic. These figures are a cry for help and a signal for change.
Between 1989 and 2016, college tuition rates have seen an annual increase of 2.6%. However, the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis reported an average annual growth in wages of only 0.3%. Thus, the cost of college tuition increased nearly EIGHT TIMES more than wages during the same time period. A 4-year degree increased to $104K while median wages only increased to $54K to $59K.
The median wages for Black Americans is only 57.3% of the total median. Thus, a Black family would be responsible for paying their child's $104K college tuition w/ only $34K in annual wages.
A study entitled, "A Look at Black Student Success" compared graduation rates for schools whose Pell Grant recipients make 40-75% of their student bodies. The study noted that roughly half of the nation's HBCUs have a freshman class where 75% of the students are from low-income backgrounds.
In 2018, student loan debt was $1.4T. In knowing 75% of Black students are from low-income families, this leads to a disproportionate amount of debt for Black graduates.
In order to strengthen the Black community, we must build, rebuild, and support our own institutions. We must also stop the vicious cycle of financial struggle being passed from generation to generation.
“As a first-generation college student who grew up in the country part of the Midwest, I didn’t know much about HBCUs until I was already at UofL…and even after finding out they existed I didn’t have the support nor means to transfer so I stayed where I was. I've always admired and respected HBCUs and I understand their value to the Black community. Starting UAB is a way I can do my part to help ensure Black high school graduates are aware of their college options and also help alleviate the burden of rising tuition costs. In a divided country today, it’s especially important these Black leaders of tomorrow are given the nurture, resources, and empowerment they need to be game-changers. These HBCU institutions belong to us and we have to support and cherish them and our youth. We were left a legacy, so let's leave a legacy.”
-Shelanda Frazier, Founder & President
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