Helping Beautiful CHILDREN UNITE
College Access Preparation, Youth Leadership Development, & Community Civic Engagement
mission statement
Our Mission is devoted to dismantling the School- to- Prison Pipeline by creating a Higher Education pipeline; empowering youth through college access & preparation, youth leadership development, community service involvement, and civic engagement.
vision statement
ProjectHBCU envisions liberated educational pathways where Black youth are prepared, and positioned to become college graduates, community leaders, and architects of social change.
Our Story
ProjectHBCU was founded in 2021 by Kemryn Lawrence to help Black students overcome systemic barriers and access higher education. Too often, Black youth are forced into the School-to-Prison Pipeline (S2PP) instead of being guided through the K-12 to Higher Education Pipeline. Zero-tolerance policies, excessive suspensions, and academic neglect disproportionately push Black students toward the criminal justice system, cutting off their access to opportunity. Kemryn knows this reality firsthand—she couldn’t read until the fourth grade and attended 13 different public schools, constantly navigating a system that wasn’t built for her success. Yet, with the support of mentors and programs, she defied the odds, accumulating over $500k in Scholarships/fellowships, and earning both her Bachelor’s and Master degrees from Clark Atlanta University. As SGA President and a U.S. White House HBCU Scholar, she saw firsthand how education could be a tool of liberation, and she founded ProjectHBCU to ensure other students had the same opportunities.
What began as a pilot program at Living School High School in New Orleans has now grown into a lifeline for over 90 students across four states. ProjectHBCU is dedicated to building leaders, challenging systemic inequities, and ensuring that Black students persist & retain in higher education and beyond. Kemryn’s journey proves that when students are given the access, resources and support they deserve; they can excel despite the obstacles before them.
At ProjectHBCU, we are rewriting the narrative, one student at a time, making sure no one is left behind. Education should be a bridge, not a barrier, and we are here to make that a reality. Join us in creating a future where Black students are given access so one day they can give others access.
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