By Renada JaNae Toyer, High School Intern
As the Orange Blossom Classic approaches – the showdown between two HBCU giants, FAMU and Howard University. Bisons and Rattlers are preparing for this ultimate face-off, yet a different type of preparation is taking place off the field. Not in helmets or shoulder pads, but in heels and hustle.
This year, The Elevation Experience took the stage as the powerful lead-up to the Classic. This was more than a start-up event. It became a haven for ambitious, driven Black women – entrepreneurs, leaders, creatives – who came not just to learn, but to rise.
Behind the brilliance of the Orange Blossom Classic and The Elevation Experience is Executive Director Kendra Bullock – a visionary whose strength and faith-filled leadership has built more than just public events, she has cultivated experiences that have inspired transformation for many.
“We have to just change the way we think,” Bullock shared. “It really comes down to believing that you can do something. That may sound cliché, but what you believe is how you act.”
Under her leadership, the Orange Blossom Classic has evolved into more than just a football game – it’s a platform that edifies culture, celebrates legacy, and centers community. With The Elevation Experience, she has created an atmosphere where Black women can nurture their aspirations, strip away self-doubt, and activate their next level of life – spiritually and professionally.
Hosted by the magnetic Shelby Rushin, the panels brought together a powerhouse lineup: business mogul Ericka J, media personality Pretty Vee, restaurateur and philanthropist Ebony Austin, and hip-hop icon turned educator, Dr. Yolanda “Yo-Yo” Whitaker. Not only did these women just share stories, but they also dropped blueprints. These conversations weren’t filtered or fluffed. They were raw and real.
The Elevation Experience was laced with reminders: don’t wait to be chosen. Don’t fear being “too loud,” “too bold,” or “too much.” As Shelby Rushin put it, “We are the moving faces of business – not just behind the scenes, but front and center.”
These panels turned into a healing and personable circle. Advice became affirmations. From how to shoot your business shot to how to pray, the guidance from these ladies was comprehensive – emphasizing financial discipline, the path to leadership, and spiritual grounding.
As Yo-Yo reflected, “I wish I had someone telling me these things when I was younger – but now I’m here, and I am that someone.”
As FAMU and Howard prepare to go head-to-head, The Elevation Experience reminds us that the real battle – and triumph – is happening in meeting rooms, salons, studios, and cities across the country, led by powerful Black women refusing to dim their light.
The message through this experience was crystal clear: no one is coming to save us. But we’re not waiting. We’re showing up, unquestionable and unfiltered.
When Black women rise, so does everybody else.
The Elevation Experience was proof that the future of leadership is us.
