In 2020, Dominique Nziffa felt inspired to make a difference in her Camden community after witnessing something that shocked the world.
Outrage erupted over footage of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, being killed in police custody by a white Minneapolis officer. The officer pinned him to the ground with his knee for nearly nine minutes until Floyd stopped breathing. Images of Floyd’s lifeless body were shown repeatedly on news channels and social media.
Driven by the terrifying footage and racial justice protests, Nziffa decided she wanted to do her part in honoring Black Lives Matter — a social justice movement formed in 2013 dedicated to fighting racism and violence against Black people.
“2020 was a stressful time for everyone, and around that time period I feel like there was a larger conversation about people contributing more,” Nziffa said. “It made me reflect on how I could be using my resources — not just for myself — but how I could be of service to others.”
This desire led Nziffa, with input from her three childhood best friends, to create a scholarship for their alma mater in Camden, Caesar Rodney High School.
“I thought that if we could put money together we could create something that could help us all give back,” Nziffa said. “You don’t have to be a millionaire to … make an impact in your community.”
The result was the Black Seed Scholarship Foundation: a program started in 2020 aimed at providing financial assistance and support for Black seniors graduating from the high school. Last year, the foundation raised $5,000 and awarded three students with a scholarship of $1,500.
Typically, the foundation awards scholarships to two or three students each year. This year, they hope to raise another $1,500, Nziffa said.
“[The applicants] have to fill out an application and answer questions like: what they were involved in … what they want their future to look like, and what they want higher education to look like for them,” said Nziffa, who added that the applicants must plan to attend a two or four-year institution.
The Black Seed Foundation’s impact
Unlike most scholarships, eligibility for the program is not based entirely on grades, test scores or extracurricular activities. The scholarship intends to provide financial aid for a broad range of minority students at the school, Nziffa said.
“I think a lot of times we look at different scholarship requirements like a GPA requirement or a certain amount of activities you have to be in, and that can count people out who are still deserving of having a scholarship,” said Nziffa.
In addition to Nziffa, the foundation includes Kayla Boyd, director of marketing; Whitley Hatton, director of programming; and Tariq Hacker, the director of finance and operations. They are all Black alumni of Caesar Rodney.
Boyd, a 2017 graduate of Delaware State University, said she wished a similar scholarship for minorities was available to her — especially when she applied to colleges.
“I wasn’t a straight A’s student, so to have more diversity in scholarships would have definitely been helpful,” Boyd said. “Also my experience [attending a historically Black college] was so impactful for me, so if I can help the next African American boy or girl have those same enriching experiences that would be amazing.”
Ways to give to the scholarship
There are many ways to make a gift to the foundation. You can donate online or make a payment via Cashapp [$TBSS21], Venmo [@Tbss2021] or PayPal [Theblackseed]. The last day to donate for 2023 distribution is April 30.
Nziffa said she hopes to raise more funds to increase the amount of money the program can give to scholarship recipients. Every year, they try to give at least one scholarship to a student who will attend an HBCU, Boyd said.
“We have a lot of creative ideas on how we can continue to grow and engage our community, Boyd said. “We’re just trying to go one step at a time with the resources we have and every year go bigger and better.”
To learn more about the Black Seed Scholarship Foundation or to learn how to make a donation, visit www.theblackseedscholarship.org.
Have a tip or story idea? Contact local reporter Cameron Goodnight at cgoodnight@delawareonline.com, or by calling or texting 302-324-2208. Follow him on Twitter at @CamGoodnight.
