Organizers announced HBCU AWARE FEST 2026 as a marquee movement to push for student-debt relief and to expand investment in Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The event aims to mobilize students, alumni and policy advocates around debt forgiveness, federal funding for HBCUs and workforce pathways. HBCU leaders framed the festival as both a policy campaign and a cultural celebration designed to spotlight the sector’s role in producing Black professionals across fields. The conference is likely to refocus national conversations on college affordability and targeted investments in institutions that serve disproportionate shares of first‑generation and low‑income students. Advocates say coordinated national attention could pressure lawmakers to advance targeted relief and long-term funding commitments for HBCU infrastructure and student support services.