This past weekend, I was proud to join HBCU leaders across the country for the 15th annual HBCU Philanthropy Symposium.

The Symposium was hosted by the incredible Delaware State University and featured representatives from 26 corporations, 23 non-profit organizations, and more than half of our country's 107 HBCUs.

This year's theme was "Standing Firm on the HBCU Legacy" and as a two-time HBCU graduate of North Carolina A&T State University, a 40-year professor at Bennett College, and Founder and Co-Chair of the Bipartisan, Bicameral HBCU Caucus, I know firsthand how impactful that legacy is.

HBCUs were built for purpose, in resistance to injustice, and by communities who believed in the power of education—even when the law denied them the right to learn.

I was also honored to present the Dr. Alma S. Adams HBCU Leadership Award to Dr. Paulette Dillard, president of Shaw University. Dr. Dillard is a trailblazer, a three-time HBCU graduate, and one of the few Black women to rise to executive leadership in clinical diagnostics before answering the call to serve in higher education. She has provided unparalleled leadership to Shaw University—one of our nation's oldest HBCUs—and I'm honored to call Dr. Dillard my colleague and friend.

On Wednesday, I had the honor of addressing the National Council of Negro Women at their Hill briefing on Black Women's Equal Pay Day.

I was proud to see this audience of young, driven women committed to ending the wage gap Black women face and see true pay equity in the United States. Thank you to NCNW President and CEO Shavon Arline-Bradley for the invitation.

On Friday, I co-led a letter with my colleagues Representatives Bobby Scott, Suzanne Bonamici, and Lucy McBath calling on the Trump Administration to release the $6.2 billion in Congressionally authorized education funds they are currently withholding from our states.

In my district, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) had already been approved for $12 million in federal education grants from this pool, helping support their 141,000 students.

Withholding these funds places CMS in an untenable position: either understaff classrooms or incur millions of dollars in debt. Both options are unacceptable.

We owe it to our students to give them the best education possible and that starts with ensuring our schools are fully funded. I’m calling on the administration to release these federal funds that Congress has already allocated so we can provide for the educational future of our children.

Read the full letter here.

Applications for my office's Fall 2025 internship are due July 18.

We are looking for interns to work out of our DC or District Offices and be part of a dynamic team working to better North Carolina's 12th Congressional District every day.

If you are interested in applying or want to learn more, you can find more information about our internship program and the application below.

My office is hiring a veteran or Gold Star Family member for a two-year paid position in our Charlotte office.

To qualify, veterans must meet all the following requirements: Veterans must be Honorably discharged, released from active duty within the last six years, pay grades at or below E-5, O-3, or W-2. Veterans promoted to the pay grades of E-6, O-4, or W-3 within 6-months of separation from active duty are eligible, granted they meet ALL other eligibility requirements. Veterans who are in receipt of a 20-year or Temporary Early Retirement Authorization (TERA) retirement are not eligible for the program.

Gold Star applicants must be the spouse, parent, sibling, child or step-child of a service member who died in the line of duty, or died from a service-connected disability within four years of separation from the service.

People interested in applying can use the link below or contact my district office to learn more. 

My office is proud to announce our participation in this year’s Congressional App Challenge. This spirited competition provides an opportunity for students to learn how to code. It also encourages students to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) while promoting innovation and engagement in computer science. 

The Congressional App Challenge allows students to compete against their peers by creating an app of their choice for mobile, tablet, or computer devices. No background or experience in computer science is needed.

The deadline to register and submit a completed application is before 12:00 PM (noon) Eastern Time on October 30, 2025.

To learn more, click the link below.

Presidential Leadership Scholars (PLS) – a joint leadership development program led by the presidential centers of George W. Bush, William J. Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Lyndon B. Johnson – is now accepting applications through July 20 for its 2026 class.

For over a decade, PLS has selected established professionals across all job sectors and backgrounds to learn about leadership through the experiences of these four presidents.

During the six-month program, selected professionals will hone their leadership skills through interactions and sessions with key administration officials, business executives, and leading academics and form meaningful relationships with one another – learning from each other’s divergent views and experiences. They will put their learning into action through a personal leadership project, intended to create positive impact by solving a problem or pressing issue in their community, organization, country, or the world.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has opened applications for disaster recovery assistance to farmers and livestock producers.

All farmers and agriculture producers who have been victims of a natural disaster are encouraged to apply. See the link below for more information.