Kean Hosts Third Annual Africana Studies Summit
Kean University hosted the third annual New Jersey Coalition for Africana Studies Summit, bringing together educators, students and local community leaders to explore this year’s theme, “Rooted and Rising” and the importance of understanding history to shape the future.
The summit was hosted by David Jefferson Jr., Ed.D., director of the Center for Africana Studies, and featured speeches and discussions with educators and other prominent voices from across the state.
“This summit exists to celebrate and advance Africana studies through dialogue, scholarship, cultural expression and community engagement,” Jefferson said. “It seeks to bring together scholars, educators, students, and community leaders of all heritages and backgrounds to face today's challenges and inspire the next generation.”
The event began with a reading of “The White House”, a 1919 Shakespearean sonnet by Jamaican-American Harlem Renaissance poet Claude McKay, by Joseph Youngblood II, Ph.D., chancellor of Kean Ocean and Kean Global. He also discussed the importance of connecting the past to the present and educating the next generation.
“Africana Studies is not simply about preserving the past,” Youngblood said. “It is about reclaiming narratives, affirming identities, recognizing resilience and empowering future generations to shape their own destinies.”
Sancha Gray, Ed.D., senior vice president for Entrepreneurial Education Initiatives and acting dean of the College of Education, spoke about how stories of perseverance can inspire marginalized communities worldwide.
“So many people around this world have been marginalized and disenfranchised,” Gray said. “When we share our experiences as Black Americans in a global context, it is in that space where people find hope, see opportunity and find the perseverance to continue.”
The event concluded with an hourlong panel featuring Princeton University professor Eddie S. Glaude Jr., Ph.D., author of America, USA: How Race Shadows the Nation’s Anniversaries and Baruti K. Kafele, renowned educator and author. Kafele emphasized the importance of dialogue and challenged educators to move beyond achievement gaps and focus on students’ attitudes towards learning.
For Union Township resident Robert Woodridge, the summit deepened his understanding of Africana studies and highlighted Kean’s role as a resource in the local community.
“Kean University is doing so much for Union,” Woodridge said.
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