Prince George's County

Durant Family Foundation Boosts Bowie State With $500,000 Investment

Richard Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

NBA Champion and MVP Kevin Durant and his mother Wanda Durant, who he publicly proclaimed was “the real MVP,” are giving back to the basketball star’s hometown once again.

The Durant Family Foundation held a press conference to announce a $500,000 investment to Bowie State University’s Athletics Department, which will go towards installing a new basketball court, expanding seating capacity and improving the press box for the BSU basketball arena, located in the Leonidas S. James Physical Education Complex. Athletics VP Clyde Doughty Jr. believes that this donation will encourage even more students and community members to attend games and see the on-campus facilities.

“We are dedicated to providing resources and possibilities to students for higher education, especially in Prince George’s County,” said Wanda Durant, the basketball star’s mother, who runs the Durant Family Foundation. “Bowie State was the perfect place to have meaningful impact.”

State dollars can’t go to athletic programs. Students are often charged athletic fees in addition to tuition to maintain athletic programs, a prohibitive cost for students. By funding this donation, Bowie State will not have the same need for raising athletic fees that other Maryland universities have implemented over the past decade. “This gift is important because we rely on private dollars to support the operation we have here,” said Bowie State President Amina Breaux.

Durant also took the moment to offer support for Deion Sanders’ decision to leave Jackson State and go to University of Colorado. She expressed optimism that HBCUs will continue to attract star athletes.

Athletics VP Clyde Doughty Jr. and Breaux both agreed that this donation will enhance the visibility of the university and improve the student experience.

“Athletics is a way to improve the student experience, build student success and bring greater awareness to the excellence of Bowie State University” President Breaux said in a post-conference interview. “This generosity of this investment will enhance our athletic program by improving the athletic facilities and seating, providing financial support to student athletes, and spreading awareness of our school’s excellence.” The press conference ended with BSU cheerleaders performing and many in the crowd chanting “BSU!” Founded in 1865, Bowie State is the oldest and one of four HBCUs in Maryland. The other three are Morgan State, Coppin State, and University of Maryland- Eastern Shore.

This is not Kevin Durant’s first major community investment. The Seat Pleasant native has also established a College Track at the Durant Center in Suitland to help first-generation and low-income college students. Durant also has donated to refurbish the Seat Pleasant Activity Center at 5720 Addison Road and provided backboards, TVs, and video games for the youth hub that he developed his game in. WI

5 Owner Ryan Whitfield with a pepperoni pizza, fresh out of the brick oven. (Anthony Tilghman/ The Washington Informer) 5 Wanda Durant, Bowie State President Amina Breaux, the Bowie State men’s and women’s basketball teams and a few cheerleaders line up for a celebratory photo. (Richard Elliott/ TheWashington Informer )

Burn Box Offers Black-owned Pizza to Mitchellville

Richard D. Elliott WI Contributing Reporter

Across Prince George’s County, there are 21 Pizza Huts, 17 Domino’s Pizza and 14 Papa John’s.

Burn Box is a locally-operated, Black-owned alternative founded in 2019 by Ryan Whitfield and Shawndell Pullam. The 1995 Crossland High graduates are proud to emphasize community impact and healthy eating in their business.

“We give away a pizza for every pizza. Get good food and at the same time, you’re feeding someone else,” Whitfield said in an interview.

“The national ones don’t do anything and aren’t seen in the community helping out. You see us at churches and food banks giving things away.”

They currently have 15 employees and are available to order via UberEats and DoorDash. The pizzas are very customizable, with options for different sauces, cheeses and herbs to add. They also offer salad and wings. During an interview at his restaurant, community patrons got pizzas to go while shopping and a Wizards fan sat down to enjoy a pepperoni pizza.

This is not Whitfield’s first business venture. He has owned six Smoothie Kings and his experience with running an existing franchise has been instrumental in shaping Burn Box. He has closed three of his Smoothie Kings, two in Silver Spring and one in New Jersey, but has been able to dedicate his time and attention to Burn Box.

Burn Box is located in Watkins Plaza Park, near Six Flags. In the same shopping center, you can find a Smoothie King that is also owned and operated by Whitfield and Pullam. He soon is opening a Burn Box in Waldorf this winter, and eventually will expand to other areas of Maryland. He plans to use digital pick up technology similar to Chick Fil-A’s to ensure quality and timely customer service. His experience with UberEats and DoorDash have shown him limited returns, as the fees are prohibitively high.

Aside from the Build Your Own pizza, the most popular option on the menu is the Meat Me Up: a pepperoni, sausage, and bacon pizza. Whitfield’s personal favorite is the Crab Catcher: a pizza with seafood sauce, jumbo crab, parsley, cherry tomatoes and roasted red peppers. Whitfield cited a better flavor profile, the brick oven’s special spin, and local options like crab pizza as just a few reasons to eat local instead of national.

WI