Hello beloved Medgar Evers College community! The day is finally here, it’s Commencement Day at the Coney Island Amphitheater, where we will see hundreds of our brightest students get their Bachelors or Associate degrees.

We are live from Coney Island and will be bringing you commentary on the sights and sounds from our perch alongside the beautiful beaches of Coney Island, so make sure to follow along on our journey throughout the morning and into the early afternoon!

Live Blog

Update #1, 9:56 a.m.
Edward Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance No. 1” is blaring over the speakers on a gorgeous spring day at The Amphitheatre at Coney Island as the faculty of Medgar Evers College fills in the seats on stage. A rainbow of colors from the sashes and gowns pop off the stage representing the myriad schools our esteemed educators have attended in their ascent to the top of academia.

Update #2, 9:57 a.m.
Dr. Patricia Ramsey, Medgar Evers College’s first female president and scientist leads the processional of her cabinet and the deans of the various schools on this most hallowed day.

Update #3, 10 a.m.
The first alumni arrive representing the Golden Anniversary Class–The Class of 1974. The crowd roars as the graduating Class of 2024 proudly file in. First up is the School of Business, followed up by the School of Education, School of Liberal Arts and finally the School of Science and Allied Health. Dr. Jesse Kane, Senior Vice President for Student Success and Enrollment Management is front and center as each school files in and has its banner holder stand alongside him.

Update #4, 10:18 a.m.
The Class of 2024 Smart Scholars enter. This partnership between Medgar Evers College (CUNY) and Medgar Evers College Preparatory School (MECPS) Involves ambitious students earning their Associate’s degree while enrolled in high school.

Update #5, 10:21 a.m.
Father Ralph Rivera, S.J., the Medgar Evers College Campus Chaplain steps up to offer words of encouragement. Resilience, gratitude and love are Key words in this inspirational message. Our school’s namesake was mentioned by Father Rivera, who pointed to his role as a civil rights pioneer who struggled, fought and triumphed, even while giving his life for the fight for equality. As Father Rivera said, you can kill the prophet, but you cannot kill the spirit. And it is this spirit that our graduates carry forth into the world that was forged by Medgar Wiley Evers.

Update #6, 10:29 a.m.
Chihurumnaya Precious Okpechi, a 4th-year medical student at St. George’s University School of Medicine in Grenada delivers stirring renditions of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Dr. Ramsey pointed out that Ms. Okpechi was missing her commencement, which is the next day, in order to,perform at the Medgar Evers College commencement.

Update #7, 10:33 a.m.
Dr. Ramsey gives a nod to the founders of Medgar Evers College who came straight out of Central Brooklyn to honor Medgar Wiley Evers. Not only did Dr. Ramsey point out that our school’s namesake was posthumously with the Presidential Medal of Freedom on May 3, 2024 by President Joe Biden, but she recounted the trip to Mississippi the school and a group of students to visit Medgar Evers’ home and museum.

Update #8, 10:37 a.m.
Trustee Una Clarke gave greetings to the Class of 2024. The Jamaican native told her story of coming to this country and her second home of Brooklyn to get her education. And in the process, gave her blessings to the Graduating students.

Update #9, 10:39 a.m.
CUNY Chancellor Felix Matos delivers a video message offering congratulations to the graduates pointing out the perseverance and resilience they showed in getting their degrees, even while emerging from the depths of the pandemic.

Update #10, 10:42 a.m.
Dr. Ramsey tips the Medgar Evers College cap to visiting elected officials Senator Zellnor Myrie, Brooklyn District Attorney Erick Gonzales and Public Advocate Jumani Williams, who offered praise to the graduates and said there was no shame in failure and that it’s just a part of life.

Update #11, 10:46 a.m.
District Attorney Eric Gonzalez takes the mic to make sure that tomorrow’s leaders get the tools they need to succeed in ensuring the continued fight for social justice.

Update #12, 10:50 a.m.
Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke stepped to the podium where she gave props to all of Brooklyn, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority (“Deltas in the House”),Medgar Evers College and most pointedly, the Class of 2024. For Clarke, it’s about the legacy these young people are carrying forth in the names of forefather like W. E. B. Du Bois. She also issued the challenge of being lifelong seekers of knowledge as one chapter closes and another opens as these young people are bolstered by the courage of their convictions.

Update #13, 10:57 a.m.
President Ramsey gives props to the Medgar Evers College Men’s and Women’s Track teams for winning CUNYAC championships, with the men winning both the indoor and outdoor titles for the first time ever, and the women winning the indoor championship for the first time in 20 years. Senator Zellnor Myrie, who honored all these stellar student-athletes up at the state capitol in Albany. He spoke of his love for Medgar Evers College and the gratitude he had for the greatest gift the school gave him–his wife Dianna Richardson-Myrie.

Update #14, 11:01 a.m.
Medgar Evers College 2023-24 SGA President Geraldyne Raphael takes the podium to introduce the 2024 Commencement Speaker, Joy-Ann Reid. Raphael, who was also graduating, honored her peers as well as her SGA cabinet, who she had stand to be acknowledged. Raphael quoted Zora Neale Hurston while citing the influence Reid provided for her.

Update #15, 11:07 a.m.
Joy-Ann Reid takes the podium citing her Brooklyn bona fides as a daughter of East Flatbush. She also made a point of having students’ family members and friends stand up to get their due for supporting these special graduating students. Reid’s name-checking of civil rights icons affiliated with Medgar Evers College came fast and furious, particularly the widows. Dr. Betty Shabazz (who is a former Medgar Evers College faculty member), Myrlie Evers and Coretta Scott King. She pointed out that the Medgars, Martins and Malcolms of the Civil Rights revolution were young people, like those who were graduating today. There were many young people who were unnamed and unknown who gave the movement life and breath.

She cited the current brave young people fighting for freedoms in Ukraine or against mullahs in the Middle East. Young people are the moral voice of this generation leading Reid’s generation to do better. Young voices of people of color have changed the color of Congress while affecting change. The Class of 2024 is graduating into a world of serious institutional crises that demand to be met and changed. Reid pointed out that Medgar Evers fought for another vital principal—the power of the access to the ballot and the way to use the ballot to get power. Not voting means not getting choices. Getting no choices means you are like a boxer dropping your gloves and not putting up any defense.

Keep fighting. Your degree is not the end. It’s the end of your formal education, but is the beginning of your life education. Voting is what got Alvin Bragg into power.

Same with Yvette Clarke and Barack Obama. Suffice it to say, Reid went off script and apologized for going off script.

Advice for the graduates: Find someone or something to love. Love sustained Medgar Evers in the struggle. It gave Myrlie the strength to go on to get justice for her man decades later. Find some love in your life. Thing two–be courageous. Do the thing that you know is right without anyone telling you or asking permission. Participation is key. If you’re not cooking, you’re on the menu. Advocate for yourself. If you don’t lift yourself up, no one else will. Big up yourself.

Update #16, 11:34 a.m.
Dr. Ramsey asked Joy-Ann Reid to step forward, where she was presented the Presidential Medal of Distinguished Achievement that reads “Cable’s First Black Female Primetime Anchor. “

Update #17, 11:42 a.m.
Honorary Degree Recipients, Dr. Keith Gilyard and Dr. Tarika Barrett recognized. Dr. Barrett is hailed for being CEO of Girls Who Code. Prior to this, she was Chief Program Officer of the IMentor Organization, where Barrett was Instrumental in building mentoring relationships that supported students from low-income communities to graduate from high school and succeed in college.

She was then hooded by Provost Antoinette Coleman and gave her acceptance speech via video. The daughter of a Jamaican mother who was the first in the family to graduate from college, Barrett’s biggest piece of advice to graduates was to be brave, not perfect.

Update #18, 11:51 a.m.
Dr. Keith Gilyard recognized for his role as a mentor, author and educator at Penn State University. A two-time American Book Award recipient, Gilyard helped establish the National Black Writers Conference at Medgar Evers College. Dr. Brenda Greene, Gilyard’s former classmate at NYU Graduate School nominated him and was also who wound up hooding him. In his video acceptance speech, Gilyard spoke of how Medgar Evers College provided him with his academic foundation. He Also mentioned the names who came through the National Black Writers Conference, Gilyard even recalled having conversations with Walter Mosley and Terry McMillan before either one had become a published author.

Update #19, 12:01 p.m.
Dr. Antoinette Coleman, Medgar Evers College Provost, recognizes Honor Graduates, including Class of 2024 Valedictorian Chana Robinson and Associate Degree Scholar Ehinowen Uwa.

Update #20, 12:06 p.m.
Associate Degree Scholar Ehinowen Uwa thanks his family, theLord, the head of Medgar Evers College Prep School and his fellow graduates.As a Smart Scholar, who is graduating with both a high school diploma and and Associate’s Degree, Uwa admitted he first learned he could do this back in ninth grade and “wanted to do it right away.”

Update #21, 12:09 p.m.
Senior Class President Genesis Marcell spoke to her fellow graduates and compared her college journey to a beloved dish from Trinidad and Tobago. The pandemic, remote learning, bouncing back in a post-pandemic world and finally that final journey into graduating, even while battling poverty, juggling multiple jobs and oftentimes raising a family.

Update #22, 12:15 p.m.
And so it is, so it shall be. The Conferral of Degrees as administered by Dr. Patricia Ramsey and Dr. Antoinette Coleman.

Update #23, 12:19 p.m.
Conferral of Associate’s Degree including Smart Scholars.

Update #24, 12:21 p.m.
Dean of the School of Business, Dr. Jo-Anne Rolle, confers Bachelor of Arts degrees to graduates.

Update #25: 12:31 p.m.
Interim Dean of the School of Education, Dr. Ken Hoyte, confers Bachelor of Arts degrees to graduates.

Update #26: 12:36 p.m.
Dean of the School of Liberal Arts, Dr. Owen Brown, confers Bachelor of Arts degrees to graduates.

Update #27: 12:53 p.m.
Dean of the School of Science and Allied Health, Dr. Sandie Han confers degrees to graduates.

Update #28: 1:11 p.m.
Medgar Evers College Alumni Relations Manager Marsha Escayg administers the Alumni Oath 10 years to the day when she herself graduated from Medgar Evers College with an Associate’s Degree.

Update #29: 1:15 p.m.
Dr. Patricia Ramsey offers final congratulations to the Class of 2024 as the recessional begins.

Update #30: 1:16 p.m.
Congratulations to the Medgar Evers College Class of 2024!

Commencement 2024: The official program

Commencement 2024: The students & honorees

(Click on any headline to enjoy our preview stories of 2024 Commencement)

Obstacles? That’s putting it lightly. But one conversation changed it all for me.

Valedictorian: Chana Robinson

Associate Scholar: Ehinowen Uwa

Champion of equity and young women, Dr. Tarika Barrett will be honored

He’s no stranger to Brooklyn or Medgar Evers, as Dr. Keith Gilyard to be honored

Award-winning journalist, Medgar Evers novelist to highlight Commencement