DIAGEO Honors Marketing Guru, Luke Lawal, For His Commitment to HBCUs

The Historically Black College and University (HBCU) experience is unparalleled. Very little compares to the unique support and community that students and alumni gain during their collegiate journey. Business, medicine, law, and entertainment industries are filled with its graduates and students. However, the schools’ impact is very rarely celebrated or even mentioned in mainstream media. That’s why I’m appreciative of platforms like HBCU Buzz and the brand’s creator Luke Lawal.

Luke is a serial entrepreneur from Prince George’s County, Maryland, who was recently honored by DIAGEO and celebrated at the 2022 BET Awards for his commitment to the Black community. Take a peek at his Instagram, and you’ll see endless photos of lavish events, celebrity friends, and the latest fashions. But ask him what he truly cares about and the answer is clear: change, growth, and legacy.

The marketing guru promptly hopped on our Zoom call with a big smile and an HBCU sweatshirt. We made quick introductions and then jumped right into a fun game of This or That. In a matter of minutes, I learned a lot about the innovative entrepreneur. For example, he prefers Nikes to Adidas, feels like he’s a little too millennial for TikTok, and reads more than he listens to podcasts, in fact, he’s writing his own book – but more on that later. So how did this man whose experiences seem somewhat relatable create such a powerful brand? Keep reading to find out.

Luke prides himself on being comfortable in any room, which he attributes greatly to his diverse experiences and ability to connect with others. He’s a second generation Nigerian-American, a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc, and a Master Mason. And although he’s known most for his entrepreneurial efforts, people are always surprised to find out that he started at Bowie State, his alma mater, as a biochemistry major and even worked in politics. “OnethingIlearnedfromallofthose opportunitiesistoalwaysbemyself,beableto presentmyself,andbelikableandrelatableto who I’m in the room with.”

Luke’s love for HBCUs runs deep. “Ialwaystellhigh schoolstudents,gotowhereyou’regonnafeelthe mostathome.WhenIwenttocollegeIhadfun. Andthat’sbecausemyHBCUfeltlikehome.When IwenttoclassitfeltlikeIwasgoingtoakickback tolearn.Igottobeapartofanenvironmentwhere everyoneinvestedinmeinadifferentwaythanI experiencedinhighschool.” Both of his parents are HBCU graduates and he spent a portion of his childhood at Howard while his mother earned her Master’s Degree. Still, It wasn’t until 2011 that the idea to start HBCU Buzz was sparked. While in college, he attended a leadership conference where he connected with other HBCU students. When it ended, they stayed in touch, and he visited his peers on different campuses. Luke learned about their various opportunities and systems and realized none of it was reflected in mainstream media. “Youonlyhearstoriesof randomnegativitybutyouneverseethepositiveimages.Istarted HBCUBuzztodispelthatnegativenarrativeandgiveHBCU studentsandalumniavoiceintheircommunity.”

However, Luke doesn’t shy away from the fact that it was not an easy task. He laughs about the fact that in the beginning, he wasn’t a writer. “ButonethingIdidhavewassocial[skills].Ithrew partiesbackinthedaysoIknewhowtoconnectwithpeople.I knewhowtogrowbrandawarenessandconnectivity.”

He continues, “WhenIfirststartedthebrandallmyarticleshad typos,butwejusthadtofailforward.Andluckyforus,traditional newswasphasingout,inhowouraudiencesconsumemedia. Thenofcoursecamemoresocialplatforms,likeInstagram,that we used to reach our audience – who we owe for our scale of growth.” Also, they continue to face naysayers who doubt the importance of HBCUs. “My reply to that is always, actually, where would we be without HBCUs? But oftentimes I’m in rooms where people are uninformed of the wonderful things HBCUs do. Also, I work with a lot of brands that are trying to learn how to intersect authentically. So, we’re constantly coaching, teaching, and creating campaigns that do just that.”

Years later HBCU Buzz continues to thrive and has worked with some of today’s biggest brands including Nike, HBO, and Capital One. They were even recently honored by DIAGEO, a global beverage leader that pledged $10 million to create permanent endowments at 25 HBCUs across the country. This fall, DIAGEO celebrated Black changemakers by showing up around classic Homecomings across the country. Luke was one of the celebrated attendees. “I was super thrilled to work with DIAGEO. The MeccaandtheBlackexperienceshinedon,andallthediversity leadersthatarechangingthecommunitywithinthatbrandare soimportanttome. Itkindamatchesextremelywellwith our[HBCUBuzz]top30under30,beingabletocelebrate thechange-makersinourcommunity.Westartedthe inaugurallistin2015andeversince,we’vebeenkilling itwitheverysingleclass.TheeventwehadatHU’s homecomingwillalwaysbeinmyheart.”

That’s not the only major experience HBCU Buzz has created for Luke. He’s been mentioned in the influential Root 100 list and as mentioned earlier, took the stage at the 2022 BET Awards, culture’s biggest night. He shared with Bleu a little bit of what that experience was like. “I gottosharethestagewithPuff;thatwascrazy.MyMom saidpeopleleftflowersatthehouse.OneofthethingsI seemostimportantlyinthisspaceisthatpeopleseeme asarepresentativetobeabletodowhatevertheywantto do.SeeinganHBCUgradonstageattheBETawardsfor somethingotherthanentertainmentfeelsspecial.”

HBCU Buzz continues to expand and diversify. There’s currently an HBCU coin, another way Luke hopes to change our financial trajectory. “It’sasocialtokenpromoting educationandcommunityinthespaceandwe’reusingitto leveragethecommunitytogetinvolved.Itgivesyouaccessto oursocialclub,wehosteventsaboutweb,NFT,andanything inthewebthreespace.” In five years he expects HBCU Buzz to continue to grow and become more experiential. “It was alwaysclient-focusedbutnowwe’regonnastartdoingour own conferences and annual events.”

Looking forward personally, Luke continues to share his passion for HBCUs and pour back into the community. He’s writing a book called, Rich Black, Poor Black, on how to grow generational wealth in the Black community. And he continues to grow his brand. “OnethingIlearned from COVID is there’s no hidden CEO. I was forced to bethetalentandmanageteams.ButIwillsay,it’sextremely importantandsoisrepresentation.Plus,it’seasyforme becauseIlovethepeople.It’sacommunity.”Heclosedwith adviceforaspiringentrepreneurs,“Justdon’tgiveup.Be passionate.Whatyouloveiswhatyoulovesofightforit!”

Words by KENT OLDEN

Fashion by: UGO MOZIE