Education

Principal forbids first black valedictorian from giving speech so the mayor steps in

A Rochester, NY prep school’s first black valedictorian was forbidden to recite his speech during the ceremony allegedly due to “run-ins” with his principal.

Published

6 years ago

July 4, 2018

Unheard Voices Staff

Jaisaan Lovett

Jaisaan Lovett, a Rochester, NY prep school’s first black valedictorian, was forbidden to recite his speech during the ceremony allegedly due to several “run-ins” with his principal.

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About Jaisaan Lovett and his success

Lovett graduated from University Preparatory Charter School for Young Men as the valedictorian last month, with a full scholarship to Clark Atlanta University.

As being the first black valedictorian notably, Lovett had some things to say in his speech.

School allegedly refuses him to speak at graduation

But a rocky relationship with UPrep Principal Joseph Munno saw him banned from giving a speech at the graduation ceremony, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported.

When the school refused Lovett to speak, Rochester’s Mayor stepped in and broadcast his graduation speech on the city’s official YouTube channel.

Jaisaan Lovett’s speech

In his speech, Lovett thanked his family and friends, and other community members that helped him land a full scholarship to Clark Atlanta University. But for the school’s principal, Joseph Munno, though, Lovett had a different message:

“To Mr. Munno, my principal, there’s a whole lot of things I’ve wanted to say to you for a long time. … I’m here as the UPrep 2018 valedictorian to tell you that you couldn’t break me. I’m still here, and I’m still here strong.”

“And after all these years, all this anger I’ve had toward you and UPrep as a whole, I realized I had to let that go in order to better myself. And I forgive you for everything I held against you.”

Warren, who put the speech on the official mayor’s office YouTube channel, appears in the video to admonish the prep school administration for not letting Lovett give his histroric speech.

“Unfortunately, Jaisaan’s school did not allow him to give his valedictorian speech,” Warren said in the video.

“For some reason, his school—in a country where freedom of speech is a constitution right, and the city of Frederick Douglass—turned his moment of triumph into a time of sorrow and pain.”

“Jaisaan will never graduate from high school again,” she added. “He will never get that moment back. This is not the time to punish a child because you may not like what he has to say.”

Lovett said he spoke up about things that were erroneous at the school and led a five-day student strike when the administration refused to order much-needed lab safety equipment.

Lovett said he and the principal of the all-male school, Munno, had several run-ins similar to the protest in his six years between 7th and 12th grades.

“There’s a lot of wrong things that go on at that school, and when I notice it I speak out against it,” Lovett told the Democrat & Chronicle. “[Munno] is a guy that doesn’t like to be told ‘no.'”

Statement from UPrep

Munno did not issue any public statement on the matter. The University Preparatory Charter School board of trustees told the Democrat & Chronicle they were aware of the situation.

“The Board will be reviewing the circumstances regarding what happened and looking into the related guidelines and school policies,” the charter school’s statement read.

“For confidentiality reasons, the school isn’t able to speak about the specifics of this situation. UPrep wishes Jaision [sic] Lovett, the first black Valedictorian in the school’s four year graduation history, much success as he continues his education at Clark Atlanta University.”

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Black Excellence

BLK Dating App Launches Summer “MBA” Program for Recent HBCU Graduates

BLK dating and lifestyle app for the Black community proudly unveils their new endeavor: The BLK MBA (Master of Black Affection) Program.

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2024

Unheard Voices Staff

BLK Dating App

BLK dating and lifestyle app for the Black community proudly unveils their new endeavor: The BLK MBA (Master of Black Affection) Program.

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The BLK MBA (Master of Black Affection) Program

Created to empower and support recent graduates from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) facing post-graduation employment challenges, this innovative initiative seeks to redefine both professional and dating dynamics, while providing financial support to young job-seekers.

Improving employment rates

At its core, the BLK MBA Program creates an opportunity for recent HBCU graduates to navigate the journey from academia to the workforce.

Despite improving graduation rates, systemic and cultural obstacles often obstruct the path to employment for Black graduates. African Americans with college degrees are twice as likely to be unemployed as other graduates, with 12.4 percent of Black college graduates being unemployed, a rate significantly higher than the 5.6 percent average for all college graduates. BLK recognizes the need for solutions to fix this gap.

Summer of growth and discovery

The program isn’t your traditional MBA program – there will be no coursework or thesis statements. Instead, BLK will select three outstanding graduates from HBCUs, inviting them to embark on a summer of growth and discovery. These participants will immerse themselves in the vibrant BLK community, exploring networking and connections on the app. Along the way, they’ll share feedback to make the user experience even better, working alongside the brand to gain a deeper understanding of how Black Gen-Z approaches dating, networking and creating connections. Each participant will be awarded a stipend to support them during their journey.

BLK MBA Program Application

The application process for the BLK MBA Program commences in May, inviting recent HBCU graduates to apply.

Applicants will be required to submit their resumes and a personal statement that showcases both their desire and need to be a part of the program. A panel of judges, comprising BLK brand team members and Black leaders from the BLK Advocacy Council, will evaluate applications to select three participants based on academic achievements, personal statements, and potential contributions.

Selected participants will embark on a transformative journey throughout the summer, immersing themselves in the vibrant BLK community to hone their networking skills and forge meaningful connections with other Black singles, recent graduates, young professionals and Black business leaders.

Participants will also proactively network, arrange meetings, and go on dates with the goal of fostering relationships that could lead to meaningful relationships and valuable job opportunities. As they navigate the digital dating landscape, participants will not only shape the future of dating experiences for Black Gen-Z individuals but also gain invaluable insights into effective networking strategies.

More information

For further information about the BLK MBA Program and details on how to apply, please visit https://www.theplugbyblk.com/blkmba2024.

Culture

‘A Different World’ cast set to reunite for 10-City HBCU tour

The tour will kick off Feb. 29 in Atlanta, Georgia, followed by stops in Washington DC, Montgomery, Alabama and more.

Published

3 months ago

February 24, 2024

Unheard Voices Staff

In celebration of the sitcom’s 35+ year legacy, the cast of ‘A Different World’ will reunite for a national 10-city tour across HBCUs, reports PEOPLE.

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A Different World HBCU tour

Darryl M. Bell (Ronald ‘Ron’ Johnson), Charnele Brown (Kimberly ‘Kim’ Reese), Jasmine Guy (Whitley Marion Gilbert Wayne), Kadeem Hardison (Dwayne Cleophus Wayne), Dawnn Lewis (Jaleesa Vinson Taylor), Cree Summer (Winifred ‘Freddie’ Brooks), Glynn Turman (Col. Bradford ‘Brad’ Taylor) and Sinbad (Walter Oakes) will participate on the tour.

The tour will feature panels and other events and will also be joined by producers Debbie Allen and Susan Fales.

Dates

The HBCU tour will kick off Feb. 29 in Georgia at Atlanta University Center, which include Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, and Morehouse College.

Other locations include Washington, D.C. (hosted by Howard University) and Montgomery, Ala. (hosted by Alabama State University and Tuskegee University). Both will be in April but no date has been released yet.

More dates will be announced soon.

Education

Spelman College receives $100 million donation, the highest in the college’s history

Spelman College has received its largest donation of $100 million from businesswoman and philanthropist Ronda Stryker and her husband, William Johnston, the chairman of Greenleaf Trust.

Published

4 months ago

January 20, 2024

Unheard Voices Staff

Spelman College historic maker (Broadmoor/Creative Commons 4.0 Wikimedia Commons/https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spelman_College%27s_Georgia_Historic_Marker.jpg)

Spelman College has received its largest donation of $100 million from businesswoman and philanthropist Ronda Stryker and her husband, William Johnston, the chairman of Greenleaf Trust.

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$100 million donation for Spelman is a blessing

The $100 million comes as the nation’s oldest historically Black college for women celebrates 100 years since its official name change from Spelman Baptist Seminary in Sept. 1924.

The college says the gift will help retain the best and brightest students by eliminating financial barriers during the admission process.

“We are invigorated and inspired by this incredible act of generosity,” said Dr. Helene Gayle, president of Spelman College during an interview on CBS Mornings.

“This gift is a critical step in our school’s mission to eliminate financial barriers to starting and finishing a Spelman education. We can’t thank Ronda Stryker enough for her selflessness and support as both a trustee and friend. There’s no doubt that Spelman College is better because of her.”

Spelman is Top ranked

Spelman College has been ranked as the #1 Historically Black College and / or University by U.S. News for 17 consecutive years.

The college has a variety of degree/major offerings but they produce the most graduates who pursue a PhD in science, technology, engineering or math, according to The National Science Foundation.