Talent of Black Youth Normalized During SIUE’s Political Science Black Sociopolitical Lecture Series
Young. Gifted. Black. It is not an oxymoron or an exception to the rule. It is the norm more than people realize, said Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Timothy E. Lewis, PhD. The point was discussed during the 5th Annual Political Science Black Sociopolitical Lecture Series (PSBSLS), “Young, Gifted and Black: An Un-American Declaration,” held Wednesday, Feb. 15 on the Edwardsville campus.
“When Lorraine Hansberry coined the phrase, ‘Young, gifted and Black,’ she wanted to combat the narrative that most Black youth were talentless,” explained Lewis, assistant professor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Political Science and panel moderator, “and that when one Black person did well, it was because they were the exception to the rule.”
“I concluded that if many in the public had stereotypes and was largely ignorant of the giftedness of Black youth, historically and presently, then it was likely that so were many in the SIUE community,” he added. “I also think combatting the narrative of Black youth being deviant, unrulily and prone to criminal behavior is a necessary step in antiracism. It is what Dr. King calls ‘reeducation,’ and he deems it a necessary step to racial justice, because if a narrative of Black inferiority persists, then it serves as a basis for a variety of manifestations of anti-Black racism.”
Panelists discussed what it means to be “young, gifted and Black” and why America doesn’t see Black youth as such. The panelists were:
- Candace N. Hall, EdD, SIUE assistant professor in the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior’s (SEHHB) Department of Educational Leadership, co-program director for Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA), and creator and executive producer of the award-winning documentary short, “clusterluck.” Hall’s research interests include the recruitment, retention and support of Black faculty at historically white institutions.
- Gina Jeffries, EdD, director of the SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School (CHS). Jeffries started her educational career more than 25 years ago, teaching inner-city youth in St. Louis.
- Kinzi Johnson, SIUE senior double majoring in political science and psychology, with a minor in pre-law, current polemarch (president) of the Zeta Pi chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. and president of Black Psychology and Allies. Kinzi owns his own fashion brand—Sailou Clothing and is currently composing an original capstone research project on “Afropessimism.”
- Zasmine Johnson, of St. Louis, programs manager at the Clark-Fox Family Foundation. Johnson collects data about programs for youth across the St. Louis region, including summer camps, college access programs and training and credentialling programs. She has collaborated on community events and created the first ever North County Camp Fair to provide students and families in North City and North County with information about summer camp programs. She also serves as a consultant with Gladiator Consulting, where her focus is authentic community engagement and assisting local organizations in anti-racist and anti-biased programming, structures and implementation.
Zasmine Johnson noted that Black Americans have gone from slaves, to three-fifths of a person, to second-class citizens, while always adapting and accomplishing amazing things.
Johnson encouraged Black youth to disrupt racial institutions. He noted the need for the inclusion of Black youth, acknowledging that “without representation, there is no understanding.”
Both Hall and Jeffries discussed the stellar Black youth they work with and have known. Jeffries acknowledged four outstanding CHS seniors in the audience. They were Dorian Akins, Rickale Green, Jakailah Hardiman and Makel Wells.
Photos:
(L-R): Candace N. Hall, EdD, SIUE assistant professor in the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior’s (SEHHB) Department of Educational Leadership, and Gina Jeffries, EdD, director of the SIUE East St. Louis Charter High School.
(L-R): Zasmine Johnson, of St. Louis, programs manager at the Clark-Fox Family Foundation; and Kinzi Johnson, SIUE senior double majoring in political science and psychology.
Timothy Lewis, PhD, assistant professor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Political Science and panel moderator for the 5th Annual PSBSLS.
