Lala Anthony says she hopes son Kiyan will attend an HBCU
"He knows what a great experience I had at Howard and understands the importance of HBCUs," said Lala Anthony
LaLa Anthony is not only a huge supporter of Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs), but she is hopeful that her son will attend one someday.
Anthony, 39, told PEOPLE Every Day podcast on Thursday that she recently partnered with McDonald’s to help HBCU students secure money for college through their Black & Positively Golden Scholarship Program.
The program, which is currently taking submissions online from now through June 7 for $500,000 worth of scholarships, is also being conducted in partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (THCF).
The actress and TV personality, who attended Howard University, expressed her hopes that her 14-year-old son, Kiyan, whom she shares with NBA star Carmelo Anthony, will attend an HBCU.
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“He’s just starting high school in the fall so we started helping him with picking his high school, which is really good because it prepares him to understand the process when it comes to picking a college for himself,” Anthony said. “I would definitely tell him, and he knows what a great experience I had at Howard and understands the importance of HBCUs, and if that’s the right fit for him with what he wants to do, I would support it.”
She added, “But I will definitely continue to let him know what an amazing experience I had and how I think it could be an amazing experience for him as well.”
In February, it was announced that Kiyan will attend Christ the King High School in Middle Village, Queens. On Twitter, Carmelo happily shared the news, tweeting, “Never thought this day would come so soon! Next chapter. Proud of you.”
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Lala Anthony has always openly shared her tight bond with her only child. Last November, she told PEOPLE that she and Kiyan grew “closer than ever” during quarantine.
“My son and I have always been close, but I’ve gotten to spend even more time with him — getting even more connected to his world and what’s going on with him. So that’s really been great,” she said.
“And just wanting to be in tune with his experience during this time … we’re often just worried about how it’s affecting us and we don’t even check in with our kids and see how it’s affecting them. I mean, this is not normal yet, but it’s become our new normal, in a sense,” she continued.
During the height of the 2020 protests against racial injustice following the death of George Floyd, Anthony was one of the many Black celebrity parents who voiced their fears about raising Black sons in America.
“I’m mad because my son is 13-years-old and this is the world he’s growing up in,” she said in an Instagram post. “He’s seeing how much his life matters in front of his eyes. It’s sad. It’s scary. I stand with all families demanding justice.”
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