In honor of three Florida women who have made significant impacts in the lives of students, the ONYX Foundation launched two scholarships, in partnership with Orlando Health, to help high school and college students complete college: The Udell T. Black & Linda Y. Braynen Legacy Scholarship and the Lillian Seays Achievement Scholarship.

“Tuition hikes have heightened students’ needs for economic assistance while they are in school and making plans to go,” said Rich Black, the president and CEO of ONYX Magazine and the ONYX Foundation. “Financial aid is important, but we also are excited to create scholarships in the names of three very important women who have, in their lifetimes, served as resources and encouragers for students traversing higher education.”

The late Udell T. Black was a trailblazer in her own right as a woman who left the tropics of The Bahamas to join her husband in America. They were the first Black owners of a restaurant in downtown Orlando. Black stressed to her eight children the importance of education. Each of them, including ONYX Magazine Publisher Rich Black, have thrived as professionals in their communities. A retiree from Guardian Care Rehabilitation Center, Black made a life of giving back to the people she cared most about.

Linda Braynen and her late husband, Everett, began entrepreneurship in the1960s by buying housing units and establishing comfort food restaurants—one that remained open for more than 18 years. Without hesitation, the Braynens delved into “owning their own” to make a better life for themselves and never looked back. As Rich Black’s aunt, Linda Braynen always spurred him to higher education and business ownership, which he credits, in part, for his success.

The late Lillian Seays is the co-founder of ONYX Magazine. In 1997, ONYX Magazine was born and became sought-after in Black communities across Central Florida. Seays was an educator and librarian for more than 30 years in Florida schools. She was honored in 2016 when the Memorial Middle School Media Center was bestowed her name. While at Memorial, she led the building of a news studio in the media center where students and well-known media personalities broadcasted the news.

The scholarships were first announced at the 2022 Women on the Move at The Alfond Inn in Winter Park. Each year, the ONYX Foundation will work with high schools and colleges to identify and award new students.