ETTRICK, Va. — Watching from the sidelines, CBS 6 Anchor GeNienne Samuels and Photojournalist A.J. Nwoko observe four women in their element.
The former Virginia State University cheerleaders enjoy each other’s company, laugh, and “stomp and shake.”
As they start their cheer, being this in sync, doesn’t just come from practice or ingrained muscle memory. It comes from being lifelong sisters.
“I will say making the team was just a phenomenal sisterhood,” Bonika Wilson said.
The friendship formed 30 years ago when the quartet were cheerleaders, affectionately known as the Woo Woos, at the HBCU.
“The sisterhood, I didn't expect that," La Verne Burrus-Johnson said. "I didn't expect the bond that we would have with each other.”
Tawanna Tynes said even though they had different personalities, something clicked.
“Somehow we all jelled," Tynes said. "We all had a great work ethic. We were perfectionists.”
All of these traits paid off for them to each claim a coveted spot.
"We all made Spirit 94. We were the four. We were 15. We were the Fab 15,” all four ladies chimed in.
Now, three decades later, these powerhouse moms, businesswomen, and authors stormed center court in a different way.
“I'm not a social media person, so it was like, 'What in the world?'" Tawanna recalled. "My daughter was like, 'You all are viral.' 'What does that mean, girl?'” said Tawanna.
It means a picture from 1995 posted to the social media site X, formerly Twitter, climbed to more than 2 million views and 11,000 likes.
Virginia State University Cheerleaders (1995) #HBCU pic.twitter.com/SID2p8gxbw
— 247 Live Culture (@247LC) December 20, 2023
They remember taking the pictures but had no idea who found it or who posted it.
“I don't know. I don't know where they got it. We didn't post it. We had no idea.”
That unknown person, who posted the picture on social media sparked positivity and curiosity.
“Most of the comments are great and then you have your, 'Where are they now? I bet they are grandmothers,'” Tawanna said.
“What do these aunties look like now?” Bonika added.
So they started texting each other about the new viral status and what to do next. They started joking about taking an updated picture to ease the curiosity of some of the commenters.
That joke turned into a photo shoot with an unexpected outcome.
“Once we put those uniforms on, I'm saying, it felt like our body was like, 'Are you about to go cheer? Because that's what I want to do,'" Tawanna said. "So it was a great feeling. So thank you all for letting us go viral.”
For Meketah, putting on the uniform offered a moment of reflection.
“But then at the same time, knowing all that you've been through for 30 years, I'm still standing here able to put this on and still feeling good about myself,” Meketah said.
Laverne Burrus-Johnson and Tawanna Tynes, both 50, and Meketah Wyatt and Bonika Wilson, both 48, soon saw how others felt about them when they went viral again.
This time, their Reel racked up more than 22 million combined views across multiple accounts, all touting the impressive 1995 before and 2023 after.
They all searched comments, hoping no shade was thrown.
“We were looking. We were like, 'Do you see anything?' OK, we're good. We're still good.”
Then there were dozens of online articles sharing the pictures, too.
“What I loved about the viral picture, more so than the excitement of going viral is the comments, women everywhere, not just Black women, but women everywhere, were saying, 'Oh my God, this is how 50 looks. Oh my God, look at these women. They look amazing. They don't look like they've aged,'” Bonika said.
No jealousy, no negativity.
Women were uplifting women, inspiring one another to do better and be better.
“They see the happiness that we have just being around each other and that all started with the foundation that we got here at Virginia State University,” La Verne said.
These accomplished women soon turned the spotlight away from themselves.
“How can we talk about the viral picture and not talk about our school with backup, not talk about our coach or our school," Tawanna said. "We had to. Because if it wasn't for them, it would have never been a picture."
Because it is what they learned off the blacktop that stuck with them the most.
“The values that Dr. Johnson, instilled in us around making sure that you create a legacy, making sure that you have belief in yourself. I remember Doc would always say, We had this saying, '
I know I'm beautiful. I'm beautiful. I know I'm beautiful. Don't you think?...'"
Doc had a spirit of perfection. Now, of course, Doc is not perfect. No human is. But she did have a spirit of, 'I'm going to look a certain way. I'm going to carry myself a certain way. I'm going to serve a certain way. I'm going to show up a certain way.' I think we took that on,” Bonika said.
That spirit of perfection kicked in as soon as their coach, Dr. Paulette Walker-Johnson, saw her Woo Woos.
She created a respected and highly regarded legacy.
“The program started in 1974," Walker-Johnson explained. "When I arrived here, I was given the cheerleaders.”
She forever changed the landscape of HBCU cheerleading.
“I would always tell them, 'I'm going to respect you, and you respect me, and God is in charge of this program.' Once you got that, you're not going to ever fail,” Walker-Johnson said.
A proud coach of Spirit 94.
“They were viral potential when they cheered back in 1994 when they made it, they are a special group," Walker-Johnson said. "And as you see, they carry the principles, the patterns, the values of Woo with them. And I'm not surprised that the world gave them that.”
Another remarkable aspect of this family is the support received from the school and VSU President Dr. Makola M. Abdullah.
“Cheerleading does not go unnoticed at Virginia State University," Abdullah said. "Paulette Walker-Johnson has started an incredible tradition here with the Woo Woos… the stomp and shake. We love our Woo Woos at Virginia State University.”
Abdullah said it was incredible to witness the group's remarkable success.
"Not only are they beautiful and talented but they are also very much accomplished. And the fact they’ve done so much to represent Virginia State University, it makes us proud.”
These women, having the support of their VSU family and beyond, are still stomping and shaking 30 years later.
“So when you see us, it's really by God's grace and mercy that we're still here smiling, giving inspiration to other women,” Meketah said.
Leaving their mark on the next generation.
“You have to start loving who you are, where you are, and then the journey becomes a little bit easier,” LaVerne said.
La Verne, Bonika, Meketah, and Tawanna want to use their new viral status to celebrate 50 years of the Woo Woos and honor their coach. Walker-Johnson is the only cheer coach in the CIAA Hall of Fame.
To help them officially honor their coach's legacy on campus, click here to learn how you can help and make a donation. Then select Woo Woo Legacy.
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