Ericka with Jessye Norman at Spelman College , 1992
body , with a rising number of Hispanic , Asian , Native American , and white students enrolled . Many students choose HBCUs both for the education they can receive and for the fact that most of these schools are less expensive than predominantly white institutions . Ericka talked about some of the renowned graduates of HBCUs , such as politicians and activists like Dr . Martin Luther King Jr ., Stacey Abrams , and Vice President Kamala Harris , as well as many well-known creative talents , such as Spike Lee , Toni Morrison , and Oprah Winfrey .
After the slide show , there was a long and very lively Q & A session . Initially moderated by Dr . Nikoo Paydar , an American art historian based in Heidelberg , Ericka ended up fielding most of the questions herself , with Nikoo eloquently weighing in about her experiences ( as a Persian-American ) in her former role as assistant curator for the art galleries at Fisk University , another HBCU . The talk was incredibly well-attended by more than 40 participants , ranging from AWCH members to a handful of Spelman alumnae , including both Ericka ’ s Spelman sisters and her actual sister , Michelle , who is herself a graduate of the Spelman class of 1988 .
These women were able to join the AWCH talk from the US , Europe , and Rwanda thanks to the event being virtual — a mini silver lining of pandemic online events ! Ericka ’ s knowledge of and enthusiasm for the opportunities provided by HBCUs made for an incredibly informative and
HBCU Spelman class of 1992 20th reunion in 2012
Screenshot of the event given by Ericka B .
interesting evening and an uplifting commemoration of Black History Month .
PEN PALS
BY CALLIE R .
During the pandemic , it has been increasingly hard to socialize and create friendships , which is why we would love to connect you or your young ones with someone else in the group . We encourage pen pals of all ages to sign up . This can be used as a way to practice English for non-native speakers , to meet a new friend in a safe way , or just to have a connection with someone else during an isolating time . Send letters , paintings , stickers , and more !
If you are interested , please contact Callie R . at activities @ awchamburg . org with your name and address , and she will connect you to someone else who is interested .
Pen Pals www . awchamburg . org 17