From the Yard to the World: Archie Clay III’s A True Tuskegeeian With Thriving “Brain Love” To Prove It

Written By: Dani Canada

Entrepreneur Archie Clay III’s thriving HBCU roots run deep, so deep in fact that he was initially torn between two schools; Hampton and Tuskegee. Clay told OffTheYard that Virginia’s “Home By The Sea” initially grabbed his interest. Still, his mom suggested he visit Hampton’s Booker T. Washington connected school in Alabama to solidify his choice. That would prove to be pivotal.

“I fell in love [with Tuskegee],” said the Chattanooga native from an HBCU legacy family. “It was the most beautiful campus I’ve ever seen. The energy on the campus was just like, I need to be here and I liked the family dynamic of being close-knit. That was something I was already used to with my own family, so I think it was the best environment for me.”

Tuskegee’s unique environment also included a sense of community and pride that he believes is unmatched.

"The pride at Tuskegee is ingrained from the moment you get there,” said Clay about his school that’s rightfully the “Pride of the Swift Growing South.” “Freshman year, we do our orientation and focus on the story and pride around Tuskegee. We have to read 'Up from Slavery' during orientation, which gives you a deeper understanding of what it took to build Tuskegee from [founder] Booker T. Washington's time.”

The communal atmosphere and the traditions at the school like attending football games at “The Shed" and the school's line dances, also fostered a strong sense of belonging that Clay says runs through Tuskegeeians’ veins post-graduation.

“Homecoming is special for us because we all know each other,” said the Alpha Phi Alpha Gamma Phi chapter member who was in SGA. “And when you come back, you may not have kicked it with that person, but you still know them, so you're still going to speak and be invested in what's going on with them.”

That interest combined with Tuskegee’s community and pride is what Clay believes sets his school apart and helps alumni thrive, even when faced with challenges. For Clay, one challenge included dissolving his luxury hat brand, Wear Brims, in 2023 after ending his partnership with his co-founder. Dubbing that time “depressing” and “frustrating”, Clay told OffTheYard that he found his footing again by relying on his Tuskegee community. Now he’s thriving more than ever in entrepreneurship with his mental-health-focused luxury fashion and accessories brand, Brain Love, and planning a special celebration for his alma mater’s 100th homecoming.

“With Brain Love, we focus on changing the stereotype and stigma around mental health and wellness,” said Clay. “Your evolution starts with you, but also your mentality is your mental health. We’re connecting the coolness of fashion and self-confidence with being the best version of yourself. There can be power in understanding your mind.”

Now once again walking confidently in his power, this Tuskegee alum reiterates that the key to thriving is your community’s coterie.

“I think we all are very invested in our HBCUs, and we all have community within them,” said Clay. “Community is everything. I would not be where I am right now without it.”