On Feb. 22, the Atlanta Hawks and Sprite came together to host a DJ mentorship session for HBCU students. The event gave aspiring creatives the chance to interact with real DJ equipment and receive training as well.
There were several DJs in the building, giving out tips and advice to aspiring creatives looking to join the music industry. The panel included Big Tigger, DJ Mohawk, DJ Chika Takai, DJ Nebo,and Luke Lucier.
Lucier is the founder of Project Go Dark and the DJ curriculum teacher for the mentorship program.
“Mentorship programs and doing this is what I love to do,” Lucier said. “We’re bridging together art, education, and the community.”
Aaliyah Shafiq Ely, the vice president of Sparkling Flavors at Coca-Cola Company, spoke about their commitment to supporting young people’s artistry.
“Sprite and the Hawks together are supporting our youth, especially our Black youth in the community,” Ely said. “We understand that they have ambitions and desires and we want to support them as they think about their future endeavors because they are the leaders, not only for the future, but for today.”
Big Tigger, DJ and host for the Atlanta Hawks, spoke about the importance of mentorship in the Black community.
“I didn’t have any of this coming up,” Tigger said. “I started as a teenager and I had a passion for it. My mentorship was with my friends, and we all learned from each other. Having opportunities these days to give back or offer insight to young people is a dope thing.”
Participants at the event received tickets to attend the Hawks HBCU Night on Feb. 24, and three creatives were selected to be the guest DJ for the night.
