Young, Gifted, and Black
February 23, 2021
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Inspired by the Queen鈥檚 Reads 2020-21 selection 鈥淥ther Side of the Game鈥 by Amanda Parris, and Nina Simone鈥檚 song 鈥淭o be Young, Gifted and Black,鈥 Queen鈥檚 Student Experience Office (SEO) has released a video project celebrating 24 Black student leaders, their contributions to the university community, and the peers and mentors who have inspired and supported them in their work.
As part of Black History Month, the video project also hopes to encourage the Queen鈥檚 community to regularly recognize the contributions of Black students throughout the year.
鈥淚 think projects like these are so important, especially in predominantly white spaces,鈥 says Nicholas Ramsubick, Co-President of Queen鈥檚 EngiQueers and a fifth-year biochemical engineering student. 鈥淚f the Queen's community wants to know what they can do to support Black students, they can watch, listen, and financially support Black students.鈥
In November, Queen's Reads put out a call to faculties, departments, and student clubs for recommendations of Black students for the project. The student leaders invited to take part include representatives from several faculties, schools and departments.
The student leaders were interviewed about their work at Queen鈥檚 by Queen's Reads Coordinator Clarissa de Leon, a PhD student in the Faculty of Education. Throughout the video, the students also share how their Black peers and mentors have impacted and inspired them during their time at Queen鈥檚.
鈥淲e want to showcase the representation of Black students in the commerce program so that more bright young students are open to coming to the program without fear of not belonging,鈥 says Victoria Chukwuma, Co-founder of the Smith Black Business Association and second-year Commerce student. 鈥淲e hope that one day the perception of race no longer deters Black students from coming to the Smith School of Business.鈥
The student leaders featured in the Young, Gifted, and Black video project are:
- Erica Johnson
- Grace Okusanya
- Trinda Penniston
- Nicholas Ramsubick
- Neil Grenade
- Victoria Chukwuma
- Nakeisha Lodge-Tulloch
- Nicole Osayande
- Michaela Patterson
- Amelia Cockerham
- Debi Francis
- David Oteng Pabi
- Emmanuel Fagbola
- Genevi猫ve Norris-Roozmon
- Omar Baboolal
- Jubilee Lambie
- Alyssa Vernon
- Catherine Haba
- Kemi King
- Ansha Nega Ahmed
- Samara Lijiam
- Ampai Thammachack
- Halima Wali
- Joseph Oladimeji
Watch the video on the . A playlist of the individual student interviews can also be seen
Visit the Queen鈥檚 Reads website for details about all program events, including a March 10 author talk with playwright Amanda Parris at 5pm EST.