Being the first Black valedictorian in Princeton's history feels incredibly
empowering.
And in particular, given the
university's historical beginnings and its ties to the institution of slavery,
Princeton's first nine presidents were themselves slave owners, as were many of the
institution's professors during those early years.
So I think that now today that we have a Black valedictorian goes to show how much
work has been done, but also how much work still needs to be done.
My name is Cheick Camara.
I grew up in Harlem in New York.
Yeah, my name is Ermias Tadesse.
I'm originally from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and I co-founded BlackGen Capital along with
Cheick Camara. We kind of had to pioneer our own paths and really
set the standard for the next generation of talent.
It's definitely been very challenging, however, it's also been a humbling
experience. And we know that the work we're doing now is going to have a positive impact
for many generations to come.
Over 70% of our members are securing these most coveted jobs on Wall
Street and gaining access to the tools, the resources and the
networks that they otherwise wouldn't have access to.
I've been the first a lot in my life, but when I heard in 2018 that I was the first
African-American female CEO of an NBA team, I actually didn't believe
it. When you're the first like in the 70s, 80s, 90s, great.
But 2018?
I didn't believe it.
And so once I kind of wrestled with it and found out it was true, then there was
just a little bit of, I won't say a burden, but I just said, OK, I need to make
sure I'm not the last.
It's definitely an honor to have that title that so many amazing people have
come before and gone to this university.
With the year of racial reckoning that we've had and all that's going on with the
pandemic, it just makes it that much more special.
I'm really trying to make the students proud in this role.
And so I'm really honored to have that title.
I believe in, you know, the idea of each one, teach one.
So I believe in bringing people along with me.
I believe in setting a good example to the extent that I can for others who
I might be opening a door for.
But mostly when I go to work every day, I think just what everyone else
does, whether it's a white male or a Black female, "What do I need to accomplish today?
What are my short term goals, my long term goals?
How can I be the best at this job that I could possibly be?"
I was fortunate to have a lot of leaders throughout my career
who poured into me.
But of course I had my grandmother, my parents, my older
sister, Kim, they were definitely instrumental in paving the way
for me, encouraging me to follow my passion.
Well, first of all, my mother and my grandmother and my aunts, you know, the
strong women who just laid a foundation for me.
They put that math book in one hand and that Bible in the other, and just taught me the
value of education, the value of faith.
And then, of course, in terms of my professional career, I've had some wonderful
mentors. And for me, I would say it's the people of color running small
businesses or leading large institutions, sitting in those boardrooms
and really making a voice for our community.
The Black and Latinx entrepreneurs, so on and so forth.
It's these role models that have really allowed me and the younger generation
at all to look up to them and really believe that their dreams are possible and
that they too have the talent to achieve them.
I stand on the shoulders of people who came before me in the journalism industry.
People like a man by the name of Gerald Boyd, who
was the first Black managing editor of The New York Times, the first man to ever get to
that level at the Times and who mentored me.
I think about people like Shirley Chisholm, who early on tried to make a way in
politics. I think about Toni Morrison, who was writing
long before I even knew to pick up a pen and try to write anything.
There are just so many people.
There was the first Black woman to be elected student body president at Harvard, and that
is Fentrice Driskell.
She's actually in the Florida state House right now.
And our journeys have kind of crossed paths in a way.
I've gotten to know her a little bit, which is really cool.
There's W.E.B.
Du Bois, who is the first Black individual to
earn a Ph.D. from Harvard.
Of course, he is one of the most amazing leaders in Black political thought
and history. And so to have him literally pave the way for people
like me is pretty special.
I think of Michelle Obama, one of the Princeton alumni who I look up to.
Learning about her story was absolutely incredible, absolutely
empowering. It gave so much hope during those early days when I was just beginning my
journey at Princeton. My
advice would be to have the confidence to pursue your passions to the greatest
of your ability and to never let yourself be intimidated by any spaces you try to
enter where there might not be people who look like yourself.
My advice would be not to be restricted by what you see, or do
not let anyone tell you that you cannot be something, that you can't do something or
something is impossible.
Have big dreams.
I was taught to have big dreams and I still have them.
So at my age, I still dream big.
Have big dreams.
Focus. Weed out the distractions.
Sometimes you just have to put some things on hold and focus on what the ultimate goal of
your life is. My mother taught me that.
She said you can pray, you can have big dreams.
You can do everything you're supposed to do.
And at some point, you've got to go and take some action.
You have to do something.
You can't just wait for things to just show up at the doorstep.
Don't forget who paved the way.
Don't forget who came before, the sacrifices, the hard nights, the concessions
that they had to make so that you could move forward unencumbered.
I think that is really important.
Don't let your fears hold you back.
Don't let your fear of failure make you think that you can't succeed.
A good life lesson is just to continue to use every day to make a positive impact on
others. There's a lot of joy you can get out of spreading and making good and
positive change. Be the change that you want to see.
You have to imagine it as if, if you don't solve these problems, then no one else will.
Don't just brush off these issues that are pertinent to you.
Rather take initiative in solving those.