'The Big Homecoming' and Wells Fargo Kick-off Year Two of Relationship To Create Ongoing Impact For HBCUs

ATLANTA, Aug. 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The nation's newest premier music and culture festival, The Big Homecoming (TBH) alongside founding corporate supporter Wells Fargo, will kick off year two of its programming with The Big Homecoming Music & Culture Festival and The Big Homecoming 365 Impact Tour (TBH365). The Big Homecoming, which launched in Atlanta in 2022, had enormous success in its first year, with the mission of authentically celebrating the culture of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) while creating ongoing impact for HBCUs.

Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) and The Big Homecoming were able to provide over $100,000 in scholarships to students during the 2022-2023 TBH365 Impact Tour. The tour made stops at Florida A&M University, Jarvis Christian University, North Carolina A&T State University, Jackson State University and Clark Atlanta University. Wells Fargo's team led financial empowerment workshops to financially equip students to build wealth, start businesses and learn more about investing. The tour featured notable names such as Deion Sanders, Dr. Lamman Rucker, Jermaine Dupri, KJ Smith, Yandy Smith, Desi Banks, Rachael O'Neil and Reed Shannon to name a few. Students were also given internship opportunities, professional development symposiums and career opportunities.

TBH365 Impact tour will resume in September 2023 kicking off at the Orange Blossom Football Classic and will make stops at Florida A&M University, Jackson State University, Virginia State University, Johnson C. Smith University, Clark Atlanta University, Hampton University, Texas Southern University and the Bayou Classic, to name a few.

The Big Homecoming Music & Culture festival is slated for May 4, 2024

"The Big Homecoming was created to be more than an annual festival. It's truly a comprehensive experience that embraces the Culture and offers hands-on opportunities for students to thrive," said Amir Windom, Creator, The Big Homecoming Festival and 365 Impact Tour. "Having a supporting organization like Wells Fargo, which has a longstanding record of committing to improving the quality of life for diverse customers, especially HBCUs, makes this next iteration of The Big Homecoming special.  The 365 Impact Tour will have a sustaining presence that educates, inspires and engages HBCU students, faculty and staff throughout the entire year. Thanks to partners like Wells Fargo, we're off to a great start with more to come!"

"Working with Amir and The Big Homecoming team continues to be a great experience for Wells Fargo. We look forward to joining them on the university campuses for the upcoming school year," said Dewey Norwood, Senior Lead Diversity and Inclusion Consultant, Wells Fargo. "Our leaders have so much practical information to share with HBCU students, which can greatly benefit them today and in their future endeavors."

The 2023-2024 TBH 365 Impact programming will focus on key areas including:

• FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT: Increasing students' financial wellness through a better understanding of budgeting, saving, investing and how to build generational wealth.
• EDUCATION: Providing resources, scholarships, internships and job recruitment opportunities for high school and HBCU students.
• LEADERSHIP: Curating conversations with global leaders and entrepreneurs to impact students' approach to smart decisions in life, work and play.
• HEALTH: Improving wellness through healthy lifestyle choices and a positive mindset.
• ENTREPRENEURSHIP: Providing students access to notable business owners to glean advice and tips from those who have launched successful brands.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) were founded in the face of discrimination and have a proud history and legacy of achievement. There are more than 100 HBCUs that serve diverse students and communities in urban, rural, and suburban settings. Each has a focus on creating pathways to opportunity for Black scholars and fostering academic achievement.

About The Big Homecoming + 365 Impact
The Big Homecoming is the first ongoing impact festival of its kind. The event offers an authentic HBCU experience through the annual 'Big Homecoming Music & Culture Festival' where all the HBCUs can bring their homecoming energy and celebrate the culture with one unified celebration. Throughout the school year, The Big Homecoming 365 Impact Tour visits HBCUs around the country to create sustainable impact for HBCUs through fireside chats, scholarship competitions and apprenticeship programs, to name a few. The festival taps into the nostalgia of connection that only HBCU homecomings offer. Through the company's 365 Impact campaigns, entertainment, philanthropy and the culture merge in a meaningful way to create year-round impact for HBCUs. For more information, visit TheBigHomecoming.com.

About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a leading financial services company that has approximately $1.9 trillion in assets, proudly serves one in three U.S. households and more than 10% of small businesses in the U.S., and is a leading middle market banking provider in the U.S. We provide a diversified set of banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through our four reportable operating segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth & Investment Management. Wells Fargo ranked No. 47 on Fortune's 2023 rankings of America's largest corporations. In the communities we serve, the company focuses its social impact on building a sustainable, inclusive future for all by supporting housing affordability, small business growth, financial health, and a low-carbon economy.

News, insights, and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories. Additional information may be found at www.wellsfargo.com | Twitter: @WellsFargo

Media Contact:
Lalohni Campbell, Per/Se Media Group
(404) 593-7145 [email protected]

SOURCE The Big Homecoming