Voices of Wisdom: Guiding the Next Generation

By: Kelsi Bowen

The Black Student Alliance (BSA) team, hosted Bard High School Early College Manhattan’s (BHSEC-M) it's annual panel, Voices of Wisdom: Guiding the Next Generation. The panel aimed to bridge the generational gap between young people and their elders by providing them with advice and insights from experienced leaders. It was also a means to empower students with knowledge, motivation, and practical guidance to help them navigate their futures and make impactful contributions to their communities. 

The eight participating panelists included: Janus Adams, a historian in African American and Women’s history, journalist and program manager for the Jacksonville Youth Newsroom, Azia Wiggins, and music and podcast producer Stephen Alexander, who joined our panel via Zoom. 

In-person, Hayden Greene, also known as "Brooklyn’s Favorite Polymath,” specializes in diversity at several institutions, notably Barnard, Manhattan University, and Medgar Evers College. Nedrill Bowen, a Paramedic for the New York Fire Department, youth development coordinator at the New York Hall of Science, Iboun Morrison, second-year resident, Dr. Glenn Martin, and Vice President, Head of Culture and DEI at TIAA all attended in person as well. 

When asked, “How can mentorship play a role in the success of young Black individuals?” The eight-person panel lit up. “I think a mentor plays a role in what an individual becomes. Recognizing that potential, that mentor can push you beyond where you believe you are,” replied Morrison. He also shared, his aunt was his mentor, and he emulates her when mentoring youth leaders like Mia Torres at the New York Hall of Science. 

Greene shared, “I'm in higher education because one of my fraternity brothers said to me, ‘You're doing XY and Z, and I need you over here.’ I have followed him ever since. No matter what I do, I still call him to verify, ‘All right, what do you think about that?’ Greene continued, emphasizing the lifelong impact mentors have on their mentees. 

When asked, “How can the youth leverage their unique perspectives and experiences to bring about positive change in their communities?” Ahtis Davis underscores the significance of our access to technology, stating, "One thing that I think this generation has a unique advantage is access to information. You're able to advocate, communicate, and mobilize in real-time, and I would encourage you all to really lean into that superpower”. 

However, Azia Wiggins added, “It's also a tight line. Even though you guys have a lot of tools for learning about history, you also have to walk the line of navigating misinformation”. Wiggins referenced the presence and spread of misinformation during the 2024 presidential election. Claims like Haitian immigrants in Akron, Ohio, “eating cats and dogs,” and efforts to remove identity-based history months and higher education programs, affirm Wiggins’ warning, urging the students in the audience to remember their responsibility to navigate digital information ethically and with literacy. 

Returning to the significance of mentorship on young Black individuals, Janus Adams, talks about her early experiences as a young writer with The Harlem Writers Guild. “The editor they introduced me to was Toni Morrison, and it went from there. You simply never know! Every mentor will not be well known, but every mentor, every person of experience, and every person out here, honestly, who has lived has something to share with you, and I urge you to respect them, even those you don't think know what you think they should know,” Adams advised.

To conclude the panel, Dr. Glenn Martin closed out with his passionate response to the question, “What legacy do you hope to leave behind, and how can the next generation build upon it?”

"Be undefined. You can be whoever you want to be without people having to be comfortable with it just because they have never seen that before, you know? That would be my legacy showing people you can do whatever you put your mind to and don't let anybody ever try to stop you,” he said.

The diverse perspectives spanning medicine, education, media, history, and leadership provided our students with invaluable insights about navigating challenges, embracing mentorship, and creating positive change.

This 5th Annual Black History Month Panel wasn't just a celebration of history, it was an investment in young leaders of tomorrow, who left the event equipped with wisdom that spans generations.