Bridging the Path to Sustainable BIPOC Communities: A Comparative Analysis of HBCU Town and Gown and Beloved Community Models

Join HBCU SCI for the fourth event in our 2023 Sustainability & Social Justice series with Dr. Kimberly Hilliard from the Center for Social Entrepreneurship Jackson MS for an impactful session entitled “Bridging the Path to Sustainable BIPOC Communities: A Comparative Analysis of HBCU Town and Gown and Beloved Community Models.“

The Center for Social Entrepreneurship (CSE) presents a comparative analysis demonstrating the commonalities and synergies between HBCU Town and Gown models and the Beloved Community concept. This presentation explores the two visionary approaches that strive to empower and uplift BIPOC communities and their impact on promoting sustainability and social equity. The discussion uncovers multifaceted strategies centered on community engagement, cultural preservation, and the pursuit of social and environmental justice. The HBCU Town and Gown models emphasize the pivotal role of higher education institutions in forging partnerships with local governments, community organizations, and residents. HBCU collaborations can create transformative initiatives, such as sustainable infrastructure projects, equitable access to education, and economic empowerment. In addition, the visionary concept of the Beloved Community, rooted in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s teachings, embraces inclusivity, justice, and compassion as the cornerstones for building sustainable communities. The transformative practices that the Beloved Community model champions include grassroots organizing, nonviolent activism, collective action, addressing systemic inequities, and cultivating a society where all individuals can thrive. Both models’ key and mutual attributes are the importance of community engagement and capacity-building. Active inclusion of community members in decision-making processes showcases meaningful equity. Through participatory planning, community members’ collective wisdom, experiences, and aspirations forge a path toward significant sustainability rooted in cultural heritage and social justice. This session contains practical examples and lessons learned. The aim of CSE is to inspire and empower the next generation of HBCU students to become change agents and a driving force in transforming BIPOC communities. Together, we can build communities that thrive, uplift, and inspire.

Kimberly Hilliard, PhD
Dr. Hilliard is the President of the Center for Social Entrepreneurship (CSE) in Jackson, Mississippi. CSE is a local non-profit serving a section of the West Jackson neighborhood called the iVillage. Through community-led transformation and with an eye towards community sustainability, CSE’s mission is to empower iVillagers to generate intergenerational wealth by eliminating blight, harnessing talent, growing businesses, and engaging, civically. Dr. Hilliard is a progressive and dynamic leader as a community and economic development strategist with extensive project management experience in high education administration, engineering, urban and aviation planning, real estate development, historic preservation, and environmental management. Her core competencies include strategic planning, small and large urban redevelopment projects, leading high-paced projects and high-impact teams, grant-making,
research analysis, and community facilitation.