Hillmantokthe digital movement he took Tiktok For Storm in January 2025, it was recently recognized for making learning more accessible and attractive, specifically for issues focused on black culture and history.
In early March, United Negro College Fund (UNCF) collaborated with Tiktok to pay tribute to the digital community and black educators who made it possible.
Several Hillmantok educators went to Capitol Hill to meet with the Congress to discuss the impact of #Blacktiktok and how Hillmantok remodeled how we use digital platforms to learn. Among the creators were Hillmantok teachers, including Leah Barlow, Shyia Simmons, Thurman Brooks, Gyllian Carter, Kyra Brown and Denise Francis.
Creators go to Washington, DC
Educators were received in Washington, DC, at a special reception organized by UNCF.
“ UNCF is deeply inspired by the transformative power of the #Hillmantok community and the extraordinary impact of Digital Educators in Tiktok. Amplying various voices and reimaginating education in the digital age, Tiktok is to shape new learning and commitment avenues, Ed Smith-Lewis, a senior vice president of strategic couples and UNCF institutional programs, said in a statement.
Smith-Lewis added: “This collaboration strengthens our commitment to innovation, the success of the HBCU and the cultivation of the next generation of leaders. Fostering significant connections and expanding access to educational opportunities, the UNCF guarantees that the rich HBCUS legacy continues to be a catalyst for change and a model for the future.”
In Tiktok’s real fashion, some Hillmantok creators captured their trip to Washington.
@live.love.luxury4 @Tiktok for six creators selected to fly to DC and discuss the impact of their work on the application, specifically within the #Hillmartok Community. I had the honor of being one of them, sharing my experience with Congress on what Tiktok means to me, as it configures my life both online and offline and why keeping the Platform Importa. I really liked talking to Congress Woman @jasmine Crockett, I also had the incredible opportunity to meet @DR. The introduction of Barlow to Af-AM, the visionary behind the viral tendency and connects with other creators who teach courses in Hillmantok. @tiktok creators @thurman Brooks, CPA @the Auto Love Reina @yt: @gylliwilliproductions @resilient Grace @andria ✨ #Ikokok #Congress #jasminecrockett #Hillmantokuniversity #hillmartok #washingtondc ♬ Walking – Instrumental Version – Eldar Kedem
Simmons, who teaches the foundations of killing in basic makeup 101, filmed it Whole dayIncluding the meeting with representative Shontel Brown and representative Shomari Figures, as well as sharing makeup secrets with the representative Jasmine Crockett. Simmons also captured the moment he met Barlow, who indirectly began the movement that later became known as Hillmantok. Simmons gave Barlow its flowers to form the community that changed their lives and affected millions that they gained knowledge of the classes.
Barlow also captured his time in Washington, DC, and was praised for provoking the viral movement. North Carolina teacher shared a video In which representative Crockett encouraged all Hillmontok students to “Valor (Barlow) and his education.”
The impact of hillmantok
Named after the fiction HBCU in the popular Sitcom from the 1980s A different worldHillmantok’s movement was driven by Barlow when he published a preview of the course that unexpectedly went viral. Its content obtained more than 3.6 million views and 550,000 followers in a week.
Due to the great desire to protect black educators, history and culture after the 2024 presidential election, the video caused a movement, with endless black educators who used Tiktok to deal with topics such as African American history, financial literacy, STEM and personal development.
Metropolitan cities such as Atlanta, Brooklyn, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles contributed to the largest number of Hillmantok attendees, who brought to the hashtag #Hillmantook seeing about 955,000 searches, 952,000 unique search engines and 3.5 million video views within 30 days of March 12.
The Barlow of Information and the other teachers provide it can be vital to preserving black culture and identity, which is on the daily sting block. Like the HBCUS, Hillmantok, it claims that black excellence, culture and history always have a place within society.
