CAU and Alumna Pinky Cole Partner to Award Scholarships to Children of Atlanta Police Shooting Victim Rayshard Brooks

06/20/2020

(Clark Atlanta University JUNE 19, 2020) – ATLANTA, GA President George T. French Jr., Ph.D. along with CAU Alumna Aisha “Pinky” Cole CEO/Operator of the Slutty Vegan Restaurant and the Pinky Cole Foundation, have awarded the four children of Rayshard Brooks full scholarships to attend Clark Atlanta University.

The scholarships worth more than $600 thousand will cover full tuition, meals, room and board for all four children when they are prepared to matriculate from high school to college.

“It was without hesitation that we made the decision to partner with our notable alumna and entrepreneur Pinky Cole to help the family and children of Mr. Rayshard Brooks,” said Clark Atlanta University President George T. French. Jr. “The senseless death of Mr. Brooks will undoubtedly have long-term financial effects on the family and these scholarships will not only provide them with a means to access a world class education, but will help them on their pathway of success,” French said.

Brooks, a 27-year-old black man was fatally shot and killed last Friday by an Atlanta Police Officer called to the scene to investigate why Brooks was sleeping in his car.

“When you lose someone so close to you, there is a level of momentum that is lost because a piece of you is gone. I saw Rayshard’s wife Tomika’s pain, and my heart led me to want to help her and her children,” said Cole. “Rayshard Brooks could’ve been my brother, my father, or even my significant other. I wanted to remind her that it takes a village and we are a part of her village.”

The Pinky Cole Foundation

Pinky Cole Foundation is a non-profit organization, headed by Pinky Cole. The foundation focuses on empowering generations of color to win in life financially while in pursuit of their entrepreneurial dreams. The organization recently launched a plan that is currently supporting the health, safety, and well-being of the community during COVID-19. Other initiatives have included paying the rent for other small businesses in the Metro-Atlanta area, providing meals to the City of Atlanta’s supported foundations, and launching an Entrepreneurs Anonymous Digital initiative to help businesses hit hard by the pandemic.

Clark Atlanta University

Clark Atlanta University (CAU) is where students can receive a “World Class” education, culture, unwavering support and encouragement from faculty and staff. It is a research-intensive liberal arts institution that prepares and transforms the lives of the students it serves.

Clark Atlanta University is the largest of the 37 United Negro College Fund member institutions. It has a rich history in African-American leadership in social justice. Clark Atlanta students also participated in the development of the Atlanta Student Movement. Additionally, the Negro National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” revived and used in many of today’s marches for equality and justice, was written by alumnus James Weldon Johnson.

It is the largest private HBCU in the State of Georgia where its School of Business and Administration has the acclaimed accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Only 5 percent of the world’s school’s that offer business degrees at the bachelor’s level or higher hold AACSB Accreditation.

Located in the historic heart of Atlanta, one of the world's great international cities, CAU’s nearly 4,000 students enjoy access to academic and co-curricular experiences, from forensic debate, to on-air broadcasting, to cancer research with world-renowned investigators. To learn more about Clark Atlanta University, visit www.cau.edu. #CAUStrong #OneExceptionalUniversity