New Pittsburgh Courier

Mayor recognizes 14 Generation Next Candidates— Young people making a difference in their lives

MUSICAL LEADERS—Leah Baker Fowler, front, a young entrepreneur featured in Generation NEXT, receives a proclamation, a resolution and well wishes from Mary Esther VanShura, Allegheny County director of community affairs, representing Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. At left, Michele Rone Cooper, executive director, McAuley Ministries and Sister Patricia McCann, chairperson of McAuley Ministries Board of Directors. At right, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto. (Photos by Micaela Young, courtesy of McAuley Ministries).
MUSICAL LEADERS—Leah Baker Fowler, front, a young entrepreneur featured in Generation NEXT, receives a proclamation, a resolution and well wishes from Mary Esther VanShura, Allegheny County director of community affairs, representing Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. At left, Michele Rone Cooper, executive director, McAuley Ministries and Sister Patricia McCann, chairperson of McAuley Ministries Board of Directors. At right, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto. (Photos by Micaela Young, courtesy of McAuley Ministries).

A Celebration was held on Wednesday, June 15, at the Hill House Association, Hillman Auditorium, recognizing the first 14 Generation NEXT Candidates.  Co-sponsors of this event were McAuley Ministries, BMe Community, and Mayor William Peduto as part of the My Brother’s Keeper Initiative.
Mayor Peduto was on hand to read the proclamation from the City, shared his encouragement and congratulations to the honorees, and proclaimed Wednesday, June 15, 2016, Generation NEXT Day in the City of Pittsburgh.
MAKING FRIENDS—Talking after the program are Generation NEXT honorees Robert Rose-Thompson, Raynard Lucas, and Kai Roberts—all of whom have an interest in music. Rose-Thompson and Lucas’ band, Ink, performed at the event.

McAuley Ministries, Pittsburgh Mercy’s grant-making foundation, embarked on this exciting initiative in early 2015 in an effort to help change the narrative and perception of how the Pittsburgh region views its African-American youth. They established a partnership with the New Pittsburgh Courier to tell the stories of Generation NEXT – African American youth, ages 11-22,  who are achieving in the classroom, volunteering in their community, starting businesses and coming entrepreneurs, creating art, and advocating for social justice.

The honorees were 13 year old entrepreneur, Leah Baker;  22 year old Carter Redwood, Carnegie Mellon alum who graduated with high honors and is currently living and working as an  actor in New York City; 22 year old Kai Roberts, a Project Director at the Lighthouse Project, a skilled musician and an advocate for mental health awareness; 18 year old Amir Allen, 2016 graduate of CAPA High school, a gifted writer, an environmental champion and an advocate for social justice, 18 year old Tiger Weaver, an Amachi spokesperson and an advocate for children of incarcerated parents, 14 year old Keimon Dupree, an honor student, musician and athlete who aspires to study engineering at Harvard,  17 year old Robert Rose Johnson, and 17 year old Raynard Lucas, singer/song writers who form the group Ink  and who are participants in the YMCA Lighthouse Media Arts Program in Homewood; Sisters Chandel and Cieayrra Boozer 23 and 21 respectively—Chandel studying law and Cieayrra, studying to become a Neuro-Surgeon at Temple University; 17 year old  Ionie Banner, Honor Student, Penn Hills Graduate, star basketball player, and 6-time  Ben Carson Scholar, 22 year old  Kuwame Kinsel, advocate for social justice, mentor to youngsters for Bike Pittsburgh and a multimedia artist,  17 year old Quincy Stanley, scholar; reading tutor and mentor to elementary school students; and Terrence Johnson Hart 17 year old scholar and advocate for social justice.
HONOREES—Robert Rose-Thompson, left, and Raynard Lucas, right, both honored in the Generation NEXT series, perform for those in attendance with their band, Ink.

Master of Ceremonies for the event was Harry Johnson, the Manager for BMe Pittsburgh, he extended a welcome and recognized the young people for their outstanding accomplishments, saying “BMe is proud to partner in this event, as these are all our next community leaders.”
Also on hand to extend words of encouragement, congratulations and wisdom to the young people were Melvin Hubbard El, Chief of Staff from the Office of  State Representative Ed Gainey’s, who had each family member and supporter of these youth stand and in unison tell them how much they were loved and Mary Esther VanShura, director of Community Affairs, Allegheny County, representing County Executive, Rich Fitzgerald.
She eloquently reminded the audience of the story of Michelangelo who was asked how he sculpted such a beautiful Angel, he answered the inquiry by saying,  I saw an Angel in the marble, so I carved until I set it free; to the young people she said, you are our Angels… we set you free to be your excellent selves.
Fourteen poster size replicas of each student showing the photos and article as they were featured in the New Pittsburgh Courier decorated the auditorium.
The group Ink comprised of Raynard Jackson and Robert Rose Johnson, two of the honorees, rendered musical entertainment.
Michele Rone Cooper, executive director of McAuley Ministries spoke directly to the audience and the honorees when she said, “The great Muhammad Ali once said, ‘impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential.’ I congratulate these young people who have taken that dare, and who inspire us with their potential.”  She continued
“I have been inspired by the accomplishments of our honorees and I feel that our future is in very good hands.”
 
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