Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Chauna Lawson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Chauna, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I started cosplaying and hitting the convention scene with Baltimore Comic Con 2015. From there, my involvement and passion for the nerd community really flourished in ways I never imagined. I became instrumental in helping other businesses get off the ground, often times at the expense of my own well-being. Despite a growing and prevalent Black nerd community, which is far more robust now than it was when I got started, I noticed a huge culture of exploitation, chauvinism, elitism, colorism, and transactional relationships. By the end of 2017, I found myself depressed, burnt out, and deflated from being seen but not heard in a male dominated industry. My therapist even cautioned and questioned my continued involvement. “Are you sure you want to be a part of this community?”, she asked. “It seems like it’s very toxic.” I knew at that moment that, if I were to continue along this path, I had to be a part of the solution rather than subjugate myself to being part of the problem just so I could have a false sense of acceptance

I reflected deeply on my life and thought about the last time I felt like I was truly embraced and celebrated as my whole self. Where could someone like me go to be seen AND heard as an unapologetic Black girl nerd. I immediately thought of my HBCU experience, particularly my undergraduate experience at Bowie State University. It was there where I found my first community and group of friends who were Black, nerdy, and proud just like me. I reflected on my experiences on campus as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Hurricane Katrina relief efforts via Alternative Spring Break, seeing the band, and just being in community with educated Black folks like myself. I decided that my task was to take those experiences and give them back to my people, and the world, in a way that offers folks a one-of-a-kind space to explore and be themselves. Thus, the HBCU Convention (@HBCUCon) was born and established on January 2, 2018.

Since it’s inception, we have built our community through grassroots organizing and coalition building. In spite of the roadblocks amassed from a post-pandemic world, fundraising, and social hierarchies prevalent in any community…we have been able to make a tremendous impact and offer a community and events unlike any other.

Chauna, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

The HBCU Convention (@HBCUCon) is a community celebrating and bridging the gap between Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Black geeks-at-large. Through this unique lens, we bring you an authentic HBCU Geek Homecoming experience. We are committed to showcasing the brilliance of HBCUs and their students, as well as providing a platform for Black geeks of all walks of life to come together and connect. We want to show the world that HBCUs are more than just institutions of higher learning but also places where some of the best Black geeks are being cultivated.

Our core values are Art, Culture, Scholarship, and Integrity.

Our core values are essential to how we function as an organization, including the selection process of organizations and individuals with whom we choose to partner. We take pride in creating spaces that welcome and affirm geeks of all ethnicities, genders, sexualities, fandoms, occupations, religions, and ages…while centering the experiences of Black nerds on a global scale. Pan-Africanism, the practice of unity among African descendants around the world, is a critical value of HBCUs.

Have you ever had to pivot?

COVID-19 was perhaps the most pivotal moment in the history of our organization. We initially planned to host our first convention on April 4, 2020. Needless to say, that did not happen. The pandemic lockdown impacted the entire world, and certainly impacted event-based organizations. On top of that, my father was admitted to the hospital the very day we were supposed to host said event. He was ultimately hospitalized for just under 4 months. I am beyond grateful to still have my Dad with me. Despite the major pitfalls of the pandemic, we were able to host virtual events at the end of 2020 and in 2021. The pandemic was a stark reminder of how important it is to prioritize the wellness and safety of our team and our supporters.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

There’s a quote from the movie Remember the Titans that has lived rent-free in my head from the moment I heard it…”Attitude Reflects Leadership”. So much of our team morale is contingent on my ability to live up to our values. I should not expect more from them than I expect of myself. I have learned over the years that the best way to manage a team is to give people tasks and positions that heavily lean into their individual strengths, and to provide support in areas where there is opportunity for growth. This, along with proper delegation and shared accountability, has been paramount to the successful management of our team (myself included).

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hbcucon.org/
• Instagram: @HBCUCon
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HBCUCon
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hbcu-con
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@theofficialhbcucon3546

Image Credits

AJ Gwynn
Kris Gooden
Harry Crossland