Urban One Announces 'ONE Yard: The HBCU Experience'

Gen Z is tired of doomscrolling, and just as students are heading back to campus, Urban One is ensuring everyone is back outside. 

HBCU campuses each already have their own yards, which serve as the mecca for hangouts, and Urban One is amplifying the culture with the ONE Yard: The HBCU Experience. 

Serving as a “multi-city engagement tour celebrating the culture, community, and legacy of Historically Black Colleges and Universities,” we’re taking the online platform to the people with elite in-person events. 

The live on-campus experiences land at Bowie State University on August 27 and Clark Atlanta University on September 2.  

“Designed as a vibrant village of culture, entertainment, wellness, and career empowerment, each stop will feature celebrity hosts, top Black influencers and digital creators, live DJs, notable alumni, and special guests,” reads the press release. 

Attendees can pick up the sticks, grab good eats, enjoy performances, or even polish up that resume in preparation for the future. 

Peep all the scheduled events below:

• Aura Arcade: Hosted by PlayVS, this arcade-style gaming hub allows students to compete, connect, and put their joystick skills on full display. 
• 3rd Space by Live Wire: A reimagined main stage with curated programming, performances, and a special HBCU edition taping of Live Wire for HipHopWired.com. 
• Wellness Zone: A dedicated wellness, beauty, and grooming oasis featuring personalized skin insights, yoga, meditation, and an affirmation station. 
• Cookout Corridor: A tailgate-themed food and beverage zone where guests can refuel and experience regional local cuisine and signature flavors. 
• Your University Row: A one-stop resource hub with the professional guidance, career tools, and entrepreneurial support needed to navigate life beyond graduation. 
• The Promenade: A photo moment where guests step inside a life-size Cassius magazine cover for a shareable, social-ready experience celebrating HBCU style.

“The rich legacy of HBCUs isn’t just a part of but an engine of American culture. Names like Thurgood Marshall, Spike Lee, Oprah Winfrey, Martin Luther King, Jr., Toni Morrison and Chadwick Boseman are only a handful of the giants that illustrate the essential roles these institutions play in the past, present and future of the nation,” said Alvin Blanco, Director of Content, Men’s Division, iONE Digital. “With ONE Yard: The HBCU Experience, Urban One and CassiusLife.com are celebrating, elevating and inspiring the next class of changemakers by meeting them where some of our greatest and most beloved generational talents first realized their true potential, on the yard.”

This experience was curated in collaboration with HBCU alumni on the Urban One team. During a time of algorithmic overload and inauthentic connections, students can feel the difference — and that matters.

“For decades, Urban One has been an anchor in the HBCU community. With ONE Yard, we’re creating a powerful, scalable gateway for brands looking to engage meaningfully with Gen Z. By combining live on-the-ground activations with digital storytelling, we are providing our partners with an unmatched opportunity to drive culture and connect with this generation on an entirely new level,” said Jeff Meza, Urban One’s EVP, Head of Branded Entertainment & Integrated Marketing.

We brought the yard to life, and now it’s time to come through.

For more info about ONE Yard: The HBCU Experience and for students to register, go to www.oneyard.co.

Urban One Is Bringing the HBCU Yard To Life With ‘ONE Yard: The HBCU Experience’ was originally published on cassiuslife.com