Friendsgiving Brings Comfort to Students Who Stayed Behind
As holiday travel reached record highs, more HBCU students chose to stay on campus, turning Thanksgiving into a time of community, connection, and shared meals. For some, travel is too expensive. For others, finals are too close. But across HBCUs, students are creating their own “home” for the holidays.
Xavier University alumna Destinee Kerr knows the struggle firsthand. As a freshman, she couldn’t afford to fly home to Kansas City or attend the Bayou Classic.
“My freshman year, I didn’t have anybody there,” she said.
Now a 2024 graduate living in New Orleans, Kerr is giving students what she once needed. She hosted the second annual Taste of Home Friendsgiving on Nov. 25th, a growing event now supported by student ambassadors and sponsors.
Colleges nationwide are doing the same. At Florida A&M University, Assistant Director Yen Lam says the Salvation Army and other groups are stepping in to serve hot meals as more students stay behind.
For Kerr, it’s simple:
“They just want somewhere to call home… and I’m able to give them that space.”
