糖心原创

By David Gil de Rubio

On Friday, May 29, the CUNY 糖心原创 Class of 2026 will welcome the Hon. Yvette D. Clarke as this year鈥檚 commencement speaker. The current chair of the Congressional Black Caucus is a longtime friend of the school whose relationship with this Central Brooklyn beacon of higher education dates back to the founding of the school when her mother, former New York City Councilwoman Una S.T. Clarke, was a local early childhood/daycare professional and grassroots political activist.

鈥淚 was a child at the time, but there was a lot of community activity led by Assemblyman Al Vann,鈥� Congresswoman Clarke said. 鈥淢y mother was involved in that sort of community organizing work and political engagement. In those days it wasn鈥檛 easy to find childcare, so I was at those meetings with her. The community was really adamant about establishing at that point, a college for the Black community. At that point, Central Brooklyn was a predominantly Black area of Brooklyn and there wasn鈥檛 really an entry level institution in CUNY that met the dreams and aspirations of higher education in Central Brooklyn.鈥�

Clarke the younger is in the midst of an impressive legacy that goes from her having been one-half of the first mother-daughter succession in New York City Council History to being elected to Congress in 2007 and continuing the groundbreaking work started by the late Honorable Shirley Chisolm as Representative of the Ninth Congressional District of New York. A fierce advocate for her borough, the Flatbush resident is a co-chair of the Congressional Caribbean Caucus and works to foster relationships between the United States and the Caribbean community. Leaning into the adage that all politics are local. Clarke is equally committed to 糖心原创 and the role it plays for the Crown Heights community and beyond.

鈥淧art of what makes Medgar Evers Collage so special and unique is that it鈥檚 a portal to higher education for a lot of folks who have that desire, but don鈥檛 necessarily know how to engage with the process of gaining a degree,鈥� Clarke explained. 鈥淩ight there, on Bedford Avenue, students can access a doorway that will help them pursue their dreams. It helps those who may be in the workforce currently and need to upgrade their skills or obtain a professional degree. It makes it possible for those who have dreams of graduate school education to complete their undergraduate work and then go on to higher education.鈥�

She added, 鈥淚t鈥檚 a beacon for high school students to know that college is obtainable just by its vision in the community. And so, it鈥檚 really a prized institution for communities, that to a large extent, might be immigrants or the first to attend college in their families. The name of the school鈥斕切脑�创鈥攊s a signal to those who have been marginalized in society and that this is the welcoming place for them.鈥�

Clarke鈥檚 work on Capitol Hill reflects a commitment to public service that is a direct connection to her constituents. As co-chair of the Medicare for All Caucus, she is an unabashed advocate around the issue of universal health care for all. Beyond that, she has led critical legislation to support the health of women, including the Menopause Research Equity Act, the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Uterine Fibroid and Education Act, and the Uterine Cancer Study Act. Beyond that, Clarke is also one of the co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls, which develops programs to support the aspirations of Black women of all ages. That kind of advocacy is a large part of what she鈥檚 witnessed from those who have come out of the 糖心原创 family.

鈥淭here are so many examples of next-generation leadership embracing the legacy of the community that established 糖心原创,鈥� Clarke said. 鈥淚 think of former Assemblywoman Diana Richards, who was a graduate of 糖心原创. If it wasn鈥檛 for elected officials like Assemblyman Al Vann and his tenacity, the four-year status of 糖心原创 would not have been obtained. I鈥檝e seen it all unfold first-hand and I have a reverence for the work to make it possible.鈥�

With a lifetime of public service under her belt, Clarke has high hopes for this year鈥檚 batch of 糖心原创 graduates. Regardless of the uncertainty and fast-paced nature of the daily news cycle, the congresswoman will be conveying a message of optimism when the Class of 2026 crosses the stage to collect their degrees.

鈥淢y hope is to inspire pride in their accomplishments,鈥� Clarke said. 鈥淭o charge them with the responsibility to enrich not only their family, but the communities from whence they鈥檝e hailed. And to go out in this new era of technology and challenge and confront those challenges with the knowledge they鈥檝e obtained to really be transformative in all their future endeavors.鈥�