Tracie Carter, RLS Media Morning Staff
In August of 2020, at the height of the Coronavirus Pandemic, five friends came together to make the journey on their bikes from Newark, NJ, to Howard University in Washington, D.C.
Out of the desire to help and support an incoming freshman who endured a financial stumble, Co-Founder Hassan Abdus-Sabur came up with a plan not only to help the student but challenge his own will.
On a whim, Abdus-Sabur and his friends decided to ride to D.C. and raise money for every mile they rode.
The group broadcasted live on Facebook, tweeted and journaled their ride as they passed through 4 states and unforgiving highways,
They raised $6,500 for the student’s education. Abdus-Sabur said from this experience, The HBCU Scholarship Ride came to be.
The HBCU Scholarship Ride is established to financially assist students from Newark while realizing their aspirations to attend Howard University.
Abdus-Sabur said in acknowledging the unique challenges these students face, The HBCU Scholarship Ride acts as a bridge, filling in the gap between a deserving student’s desire for educational excellence and their ability to pay for that experience.
This year, Abdus-Sabur said the bar has been set higher to raise $25,000 to be split between two Newark graduating seniors.
This year’s scholarship recipients, Janae Tucker and Kyle Washington are honor students who attended East Orange Stem Academy and Seton Hall Prep, respectively.
Abdus-Sabur said the 2021 official ride is set to leave from Essex County College at 9 am on Friday, August 27th, with riders chronicling their ride along the way.
According to Abdus-Sabu, the journey will end at the entrance gate of Howard University on Sunday, August 29th, followed by a finish line celebration on “The Yard” of Howard University.
Abdus-Sabur said the group appreciates your support of the “HBCU Scholarship Ride” by clicking HERE.
