GREENSBORO, N.C. — A group of students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities have partnered to serve communities across the nation.

Founded in 2019, Waves of Change HBCU, Inc. has two chapters that include Waves of Change NCAT and Waves of Change Howard. On Saturday, members hosted a street clean up in Greensboro.

The organizer, current Howard University student and Miss Massachusetts USA state finalist, Rachel Clark, says the nonprofit provides a way to connect Black students with environmental service opportunities and education. 

“Doing hands-on projects like this, not only does it give back to the community but even for all the volunteers," Clark says. "It helps them have a better understanding of why these things are important, and we can talk about it in a safe space with people who look like us.”

The group holds service events year-round. They plan to host a vegan cooking class in October and a tree planting event in November.