Apple Hosts Arts an Entertainment Accelerator Program for 50 HBCU Students
Via Propel
Fifty HBCU students will participate in Apple’s 2024 Arts & Entertainment Industry Accelerator program. Coinciding with Black Music Month, the program will kick off with an immersive experience at Tennessee State University the week of June 10th and conclude at Clark Atlanta University the week of June 16. These two institutions are among the 19 HBCUs from which the students hail.
Propel Board Chair, Anthony Oni, explained, “PROPEL’s aim is to equip our HBCU students with an exceptional learning edge, leveraging invaluable professional networks within the world’s most renowned and successful businesses and organizations.”
Participants will demonstrate what they have learned by using Apple technology and tools to create music, design album art, and “tell their stories through digital marketing.” Career development workshops and networking with industry experts at Apple Music offices and a retail location in Nashville are also key aspects of the program.
Apple’s Propel Center is a global innovation and learning hub designed to support and advance the work of HBCUs. The Arts & Entertainment Accelerator program aims to create more pathways and opportunities for diverse creators through access to technology, resources, expertise, and a nurturing and inspiring environment. As DEI efforts are being dismantled, Propel Center President Lisa Herring explained, “This year’s accelerator marks a continued commitment from Apple and our industry partners to help address equity and diversity gaps in the arts and entertainment industry and other critical business sectors.”
In the wake of global protests following the killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, and in an effort to challenge systemic racism and advance racial equity, Apple launched a set of projects as part of its $100 million Racial Equity and Justice Initiative. In addition to the Propel Center, an Apple Developer Academy was created to support coding and tech education for students in Detroit. The efforts also included venture capital funding for Black and Brown entrepreneurs. According to Apple’s REJI 2023 Impact Overview, the initiative has grown in scope and doubled its commitment to over $200 million.
Watch the 2023 Arts & Entertainment Accelerator cohort’s final videos, which were showcased in front of industry experts led by Senior Director of Partnerships & Programs Joseph Barret and Team PROPEL.