The NYNJ HBCU Initiative

A volunteer-driven initiative dedicated to educating families about opportunities at HBCUs.

[Dennis Richmond, Jr. @NewYorkStakz]

ANOTHER RARE PHOTOGRAPH OF ONE OF MY ANCESTORS IN GREENWICH, CT! THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR INTEREST!

[Dennis Richmond, Jr. @NewYorkStakz]

You Gotta Be Quiet On The Creek 🤫

[Dennis Richmond, Jr. @NewYorkStakz]

Rapper @IAmCardiB sponsored my HBCU Initiative in 2016. Ten years later, we both built successful careers.

I’m so proud of everything that you accomplished, Belcalis. I wish you and your family nothing but more success. #Washpoppin 👠

(📹: King Snubb)

[Dennis Richmond, Jr. @NewYorkStakz]

AN EXTREMELY RARE PHOTOGRAPH OF ONE OF MY ANCESTORS, TAKEN c. 1898.

[Dennis Richmond, Jr. @NewYorkStakz]

My latest ballroom article is out, and it features Carmen Berry, Nekia Zulu, and Aoki Lee Terrell. Beyond the trophies, music, and competition, ballroom has always been about family, community, and legacy.

[Dennis Richmond, Jr. @NewYorkStakz]

https://t.co/iquOCoAiLZ

[Dan Murphy @dmurphyrising]

The Top Ten Rappers from Yonkers in 2026 https://t.co/IcAVPcVWBz via @Yonkers Times

[Dennis Richmond, Jr. @NewYorkStakz]

Wow.

[Dennis Richmond, Jr. @NewYorkStakz]

I love it.

[Dennis Richmond, Jr. @NewYorkStakz]

Dennis Richmond, Jr.

[Dennis Richmond, Jr. @NewYorkStakz]

SLEEP IN PEACE NOTTI OSAMA 🕊️

Three years ago today, on July 9, 2022, we lost Ethan Reyes—known to many as Notti Osama. He was just 14 years old. Born in Yonkers, Notti made hits like Too Tact, Without You, and more. His music lives on. 🕊️

(🎥: YouTube — 1yfe)

[Dennis Richmond, Jr. @NewYorkStakz]

🕊️ SLEEP IN PEACE NOTTI 🕊️

Four years ago today, Ethan Reyes, better known to the world as Notti Osama, was killed, leaving behind a family, a fanbase, and a name that still rings bells. Notti became one of the most famous faces in drill music.

A student in the @YonkersPublicSchools after his family relocated from Harlem to Yonkers, Notti was part of a family whose grief has been public. Alongside his brother @DDOsama, his name became etched into a generation of drill culture. Last month, his school, @BarackObamaYPS, posthumously awarded him his high school diploma.

Sleep in peace, Notti. 🕊️ #Everything4Notti #E4N

(📹: YouTube | NottiNation, Notti Osama FanPage)

[Dennis Richmond, Jr. @NewYorkStakz]

THIS IS AN EXTREMELY RARE PHOTOGRAPH OF MY GREAT-GREAT-GRANDFATHER, JOHN SHERMAN MERRITT. HE DIED OF EXHAUSTION IN 1921 AT JUST 31 YEARS OLD. MORE THAN A CENTURY LATER, HIS STORY — AND HIS FACE — STILL LIVES ON!

[Dennis Richmond, Jr. @NewYorkStakz]

My great-great-grandfather, John Sherman Merritt, died of exhaustion on July 3, 1921. 105 years ago today, my family changed forever.

This photograph and video capture a happier moment: his wedding day in New York in 1909, when he married my ancestor Lelia Bell Robinson.

[Dennis Richmond, Jr. @NewYorkStakz]

THANK YOU GOD! “YEA, THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I WILL FEAR NO EVIL!” THANK YOU, GOD, FOR THIS INCREDIBLE BLESSING. EVERY PRAYER, EVERY SACRIFICE, AND EVERY SETBACK WAS WORTH IT. MEET AQUAFINA, MY BRAND-NEW CAR!

[Dennis Richmond, Jr. @NewYorkStakz]

New York, Happy Pride 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

[Dennis Richmond, Jr. @NewYorkStakz]

My 8th graders graduated today, and I’m proud.

[The NYNJ HBCU Initiative @HBCUInitiative]

Amazing!

[Dennis Richmond, Jr. @NewYorkStakz]

My 8th graders graduated today, and I’m proud.

[Dennis Richmond, Jr. @NewYorkStakz]

Fatha Freddie and I are pictured in this article, and I’m wearing my “Protect The Dolls” shirt. Some Americans love LGBTQ+ Pride celebrations, while others strongly oppose them. The country remains divided on the issue.

💭 How do you feel about Pride celebrations?

[Dennis Richmond, Jr. @NewYorkStakz]

Happy Heavenly Father’s Day, Dad 🕊️