Sydney and Jermaine Perry are proving that Black love, shared traditions and a little school rivalry make a beautiful legacy.
There is nothing on the planet quite like an HBCU homecoming.
The exciting tailgates with red Solo cups and good eats in abundance, the can’t miss halftime show (better known as the 5th quarter), the feel-good brunches, the lit parties, the impromptu Swag Surfin’ that can happen anywhere the mood hits, the energetic Divine 9 step shows, the multigenerational beauty of alumni chopping it up with current students, the hugs that assure you although life is life-ing, everything is going to be alright. Oh…and the football game. The atmosphere is equally empowering and spiritual because in between all the joyous celebrations, we are reminded of the brilliance and tenacity of our brave, visionary ancestors who built HBCUs more than a century ago. The pride is palpable.
In honor of this joyous and celebratory time for our culture, we’re honoring those couples who graduated from HBCUs, sometimes even on the same campus, and are now living their best lives together. Our Love on the Yard series is an intentional and necessary spotlight on Black love, Black excellence and Black joy!
COUPLE: Jermaine Perry & Sydney Perry
MAJORS: Jermaine: Bio-Engineering + Sydney: Accounting
CLASS OF: 2005 (both)
PROFESSIONS: Jermaine: Family Office Portfolio Manager
Sydney: Entrepreneur – Owner and Cake Artist at Sydney’s Sweets
YEAR THEY BECAME A COUPLE: 2006
THEY MET IN HIGH SCHOOL BUT THEIR LOVE STORY STARTED LATER
Jermaine: Sydney and I first met as freshmen of neighboring high schools in Queens, NY through mutual friends. We joke about who never stopped thinking of who. We were reunited through the “people you may know” feature of Facebook in 2001 and again later when returning back to NY as young professionals after college.
Sydney: We met way back in high school. Our schools were across the street from each other and we had several mutual friends. Our friends thought we looked alike and insisted we meet! We stayed in touch for a brief period of time but never saw each other again until after we graduated from college. We reconnected on Facebook.
WHAT THEY LOVE MOST ABOUT EACH OTHER
Jermaine: Sydney’s naturally a soft and kind person. It’s the perfect balance to my often aggressive New Yorker / Leo combination. She reminds me to lead with love, which is a motto of our household.
Sydney: Jermaine is the type of person who gets the job done no matter what it is. I love how his creativity and determination work together to make magic happen for us. Jermaine has very high standards for himself and for everyone he cares about and lets into his circle. I love how he expects the best from us all and is willing to hold us accountable and help us be the best versions of ourselves. Also, Jermaine is a vibe! You will never hang out with him and not have the best time ever. He is my favorite person to do everything with.
THEY ENJOY ATTENDING HOMECOMING TOGETHER OCCASIONALLY
Jermaine: We’ve both attended each other’s Homecomings together. It was only right I introduced her to GHOE – the Greatest Homecoming On Earth, LOL. We love taking jabs at each other and claiming the throne for our alma maters though all in love. We enjoy festivities together and also give each other space to be free. It helps that we’re both D9 and have friends and connections outside of each other at both schools. One of her classmates became such a good friend he was a groomsman at our wedding. Neither of us is an every year attendee though we equally understand the importance of attending anniversary year celebrations for both classes and Kappa (Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.) / AKA (Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.).
Sydney: Our last two homecomings we went together and even took our son. We have become friends with each other’s classmates. Jermaine was out and about at HUHC without me at times! The last time we had our son with us, my parents were there too. So, we were able to show our son HBCU culture and still enjoy (adult) party time without him.
DOING LIFE WITH AN HBCU GRAD IS LEGACY BUILDING FOR THEM
Jermaine: Sharing a similar HBCU experience birthed a legacy. There is no other choice for our son but an HBCU for undergrad. A deep rooted love for our history, culture and community was awakened and being amongst the best and brightest in a collaborative environment is so fulfilling and nurturing. There is no better place for the confidence, well being and maturation of a young and gifted Black child than an HBCU. Our son has attended both homecomings so we are introducing and preparing him. He has also just begun Kappa League, to foster an additional legacy of achievement in every field of human endeavor (the league’s mission).
Sydney: It is another thing about each other that we can fully understand. I never have to explain why I think the way I do about aspects of college life specific to HBCUs because he gets it! It is also fun to engage in a bit of rivalry while expressing pride for our respective schools.
