# Federal funding
Federal funding for HBCUs and the Atlanta Beltline is advocated by Sen. Jon Ossoff
(Georgia) Sen. Jon Ossoff visited Atlanta for a three-day trip in Georgia. He advocated for federal funding for the Atlanta BeltLine Trail and historically black colleges. Clark Atlanta University will receive about $16.4 million in federal funding under the American Rescue Plan of President Biden. Some of the funds will be used to upgrade the STEM programs at the university. While visiting the Spelman College campus, President Mary Schmidt Campbell said $2.5 million in federal appropriations will transform the university's digital infrastructure. A new academic building at the Morehouse School of Medicine and upgrades to the school's cybersecurity are among the other schools slated for upgrades within the Atlanta University Center. In addition to providing emergency financial aid for students facing financial hardship as a result of the pandemic, some of the funding will be allocated to student assistance.
In Wake of Violence, Hochul Approves $10 Million in Aid to Asian American Communities
A shot of Mongolian Buffet Asian restaurant in Buffalo, New York.Photo by J.M. Lesinski. In the wake of a surge in violence and attacks on Asian Americans in New York City, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced the disbursement of roughly $10 million in funding to Asian American organizations, associations, and communities, who have all been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.