A Telethon on May 2-3 Hopes to Raise Money for HBCU Student Athletes

On May 2-3, a telethon fundraiser will raise money for HBCU student athletes and K-12 students of color who lack access to remote learning technology, reported Black Enterprise.

Those participating are George Lynch, a National Basketball Association (NBA) veteran, Tracey Pennywell, a co-founder of HBCU Heroes, and Ryan Johnson, executive director of Cxmmunity.

Titled Tech 4 COVID, the event expects to reach more than 30 million people and raise over $3 million, all of which will go toward improving remote learning access for students of color who, the event notes, are disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Black Enterprise, celebrities participating in the telethon include Offset, Jeezy, DL Hughley, Cedric the Entertainer, Eddie Griffin, Bill Bellamy, Blair Underwood, Malik Yoba, Desi Banks, Dionne Warwick, Dean Crawford, The Hamiltones, Mr. Serv-On and others.

“We’re pulling out all the stops for this virtual telethon,” said NBA veteran Lynch, in a statement. “HBCU student-athletes and K-12 minority students need this movement to galvanize help. I’ve witnessed dozens of student-athletes scramble during this pandemic to get laptops. Many of them were using school computer labs or the library and now they have to find their own technology resources. Something has to be done.”