African Leaders’ Showcase brings Role Models to Life

A poet and 27 public speakers inspired the audience at the 8 th edition of the African Leaders

Showcase on March 10.Showcase on March 10. The African Leaders’ Public Speaking Series promotes public speaking skills, as student immerse themselves in Black excellence–embodied by the leadership of both our ancestors and contemporary role models in academia, the arts, business, engineering, health, mathematics, politics and the sciences.

This Women’s History Month, we celebrated the iconic freedom fighter and civil rights activist Fanny Lou Hamer; environmental activist Wanjari Mahai; dancer, choreographer, and cultural icon Katherine Dunham; tech trailblazer Erica Hairston; inventor, computer scientist and educational activist Dr. Anne-Marie Imafidon; along with formerly enslaved multi-millionaire philanthropist Bridgette “Biddy” Mason, who was one of the founders of California’s economy.

As is evident by our line-up, the series focuses on positive role modelsto inspire students’ interest and self-confidence as they research phenomenal achievers, synthesize language, and embody the characteristics of excellence through their speeches Each UPP Oral Communication group and several BSS courses held speaking competitions in class to choose the top speakers to appear in the Showcase. This semester’s program began with “Black and Gold,” a slam poem by Ms. Unglid Paul, an English Teaching Assistant at Lycée Excellence and guest of the U.S. embassy. She was followed by eight speakers from BSS history courses and 19 UPP students.