About this project

Whether you’re an HBCU alum, a current student or a teacher, friend or family member of the former, this All Access Documentary of an HBCU incoming freshman will hit home. Meet Kaiya Watson a 17 year old High School senior from Los Angeles, California, who will be leaving home this August to fly across the U.S. to begin her undergraduate studies at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. I will be spending the first 48 hours with Kaiya, and her family, from the time she lands in North Carolina, arrives on campus, checks into the dorms for the first time, meets her floor an suite mates and makes the trip to the local Walmart and Target as she prepares to settle into a life away from home. I will also be speaking with Kaiya’s family who will be with her as she makes this transition and capture the joy and excitement of this journey and the tears of joy as they say their goodbyes. You will also see and hear from Kaiya the night before her departure through video testimony.

"Hello my name is Kaiya Watson and I am a 17-year-old senior at Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance California. On, Wednesday, August 17, 2011 I will start my freshmen year at North Carolina A&T.   

I honestly never thought I’d be attending a Historically Black College. I hadn’t really ever thought seriously about going to one. I didn’t fully understand the reasons why going to one was so important but after walking onto the campus of North Carolina A&T during a college tour last Spring and feeling its energy I knew there wasn’t anywhere else I wanted to be.  Everywhere on campus, where we had the opportunity to stop and tour, there was meaning behind it, a history or story to be told. Now I realize the history HBCUs carry and this history that, to this day, is ingrained in and remains present in every facet of the school. I applied to   13 schools in total and though I didn’t make my final decision until months after first visiting the North Carolina A&T campus, I think I knew, from that visit, I wanted to be apart of that history. 

I will be starting my freshman year as a Chemistry major. I’m majoring in it not only because I enjoy the subject but also because Science has always been a way to discover new things.  I feel like college, as an experience, is a trial run to real life and, for me, a necessary experience needed to transition into the real world. It will give me an opportunity to not only experience the fun stuff but also learn to deal with the difficult things. I believe it will also give me the upper hand not only academically but allow me to perfect the skill of balancing the various aspects of life. 

If there was any phrase that I have learned to be true it is, “It takes a village to raise a child”. It has been because of my village that from November 24, 1991 to now I have been provided with a strong foundation of support and guidance and with this foundation I been able to grow and develop into the young women I am today. 

In advance, I thank you for becoming apart of my village and supporting me as I start out on my next journey. "

If I am able to convince my family, friends, you and your friends to support this project, funds (after CC and transaction fees) raised for "The First 48:HBCU Yard Edition"  will cover travel and lodging expenses to North Carolina as well as expenses for the duration of the weekend. 

 In advance, we thank you for your support. *Kickstarter allows project to receive funds over the desired funded amount. 

My personal goal is to be able to deliver great HBCU content and leave Kaiya in Greensboro with her first semester full of books paid for, her mini-fridge full of snacks and the feeling that she has a group of supporters behind her that want to see her succeed.