On March 11, 2025, United Negro College Fund (UNCF) partnered with TikTok to champion HillmanTok University for using social media to transform education and motivate the Black community. HillmanTok at Capitol Hill HillmanTok educators like Dr. Leah Barlow, Shyia Simmon, CPA Thurman Brooks, Gyllian Carter, Kyra Brown, and Denise Francis went to Capital Hill in Washington, DC, for a special reception to commemorate the educators and meet with members of Congress, according to a TikTok news release viewed by AFROTECH. “UNCF is proud to partner with TikTok to amplify the transformative
TikTok can be pretty useful outside cat videos, dance tutorials, and comedy sketches. You can learn a language, a new recipe, and even how to play an instrument. It can also be a great way to source academic knowledge, which is being demonstrated with HillmanTok University. Who started HillmanTok University? What started as video intended for the 30 students enrolled in Dr Leah Barlow’s African American studies class this semester, has turned into a viral movement, where Black professors, lecturers, and subject matter experts create and share educational videos. In
