Temperatures are dropping and it’s that time of the year when Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) celebrate their homecoming season. From coast to coast, HBCU alumni, students, and guests are coming together for a grand family reunion. In celebration of the season, Good Morning America (GMA) and Micheal Strahan joined forces with accomplished Atlanta Restaurateur, Ebony Austin, to present Howard University senior, Micheal Wright III, with a homecoming surprise.
During his conversation with Good Morning America host Micheal Strahan, Wright couldn’t help but share his deep love for Howard’s extraordinary homecoming festivities.
“Howard’s homecoming is the epitome of black culture. People take off work. People take time off school to travel to the Mecca, Howard University to experience the step show, the fashion show, yard fest, the tailgate, and the football game. So when you do all of that, there’s nothing like a Howard homecoming.”
But this incredible weekend is more than just a party; it’s a time when tradition and culture come together to shape the future. According to Wright, “HBCUs are rooted in culture and familial ties. The alumni do what they can to pour into students. The old has the potential to bring in the new but cultivate the experience that will join us all.” With dreams of pursuing a law degree, Wright shared that he views homecoming weekend as the ultimate networking opportunity, offering him a chance to propel his future goals.
As the conversation was coming to an end, Strahan invited Ebony Austin to join them on the couch. Austin is not only the owner of Nouveaucreations, that specializes in mouthwatering, stone-ground grits, but she is also a mentor to the Howard senior.
Ebony Austin had a grand surprise for Wright, presenting him with a generous gift of $15,000, all thanks to her incredible specialty grits line. She expressed her passion, saying, “I wanna give you $15,000, and this is from my Nouveau grit line. Everyone knows that Nouveau is my heart and I poured some much into this grit line. All of the proceeds we make from our grits go to HBCU students. So when you buy a bag of grits, the community helps our students.”
Let’s just say that the Howard senior was to stunned to speak.