Joyin Akinola at the Student Justice Collective Conference Announcing the 2023 Black Education Matters Student Activist Award (BEMSAA) winners: Marta Sisay and Joyin Akinola. These two exceptional young people have done extraordinary work in the struggle against structural racism in education. The BEMSAA provides a $1,000 award, public recognition, and connection to a community of other young changemakers. “Joyin has displayed an unwavering commitment to justice utilizing an intersectional lens,” educator Renna Harb explained. “She understands the nuances and interconnectedness of race, class ..read more

Beginning Monday, May 8th through June 5th, 2023, nominations will be accepted for the Black Education Matters Student Activist award. The BEMSAA organizing committee encourages educators, parents, students, and community organizers to nominate a deserving student for the award today! The Black Education Matters Student Activist Award (BEMSAA) gives recognition, support, and a $1,000 award to student leaders in the King Country area who demonstrate exceptional leadership in struggles against racism—especially with an understanding of the intersections with sexism, homophobia, transphobia, Isl ..read more

First Published in the South Seattle Emerald July 21, 2022 Editor by Ari Robin McKenna Kaley Duong and Alexis Mburu knew there was something wrong with school, only it took them a while to find the right words, to know how to phrase them, and to channel their innate leadership ability. In middle school, both joined racial equity clubs that began to illuminate aspects of the issues they were seeing or facing. In high school, both began speaking out more frequently, organizing, and building community around taking action to address the ills of a system they were still in. During the 2021–2022 s ..read more

Starting Sunday, May 1st through Tuesday, May 31st, 2022, nominations will be accepted for the 2022 Black Education Matters Student Activist Award (BEMSAA).  The BEMSAA organizing committee encourages educators, parents, students, and community organizers to nominate a deserving student for the award today! The Black Education Matters Student Activist Award (BEMSAA) gives recognition, support, and a $1,000 award to student leaders in Seattle/King County region who demonstrate exceptional leadership in struggles against racism—especially with an understanding of the intersections with sexi ..read more

Starting Monday, May 10th through Friday, Monday, June 7th, 2021, nominations will be accepted for the Black Education Matters Student Activist award (BEMSAA).  The BEMSAA organizing committee encourages educators, parents, students, and community organizers to nominate a deserving student for the award today! The Black Education Matters Student Activist Award (BEMSAA) gives recognition, support, and a $1,000 award to student leaders in Seattle who demonstrate exceptional leadership in struggles against racism—especially with an understanding of the intersections with sexism, homophobia ..read more

Online Press Conference/Award Ceremony:  2020 “Black Education Matters Student Activist Award” winners announced! –Fifth annual ceremony– *Super Bowl champion and NFL Pro Bolwer Michael Bennett to present one of the awards in the name of his mother.* Award ceremony for anti-racist student organizers to be held at on online zoom press conference When: 5:00pm Pacific, Thursday June 25th Where: online, Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83370603426?pwd=ZXg4TTd6M2kzaGIrajJoaXJPOFkyUT09 Meeting ID: 833 7060 3426 Seattle, WA: The Black Education Matters Student Activist Award (BEMSAA) offers ..read more

Some of the 2018 Black Education Matters Student Activist Award winners being congratulated by Linda Sarsour, Pele Bennett, and Michael Bennett. Apply today for the 2020 award. Starting Thursday, May 14th through June 12th, 2020, nominations will be accepted for the Black Education Matters Student Activist award!  I am writing this letter to encourage educators, parents, students, and community organizers to nominate a deserving student for the award today! The Black Education Matters Student Activist Award (BEMSAA) gives recognition, support, and a $1,000 award to student leaders in the ..read more

Left to right: Bestselling author/Super Bowl champion Michael Bennett, Rena Mateja Walker Burr, Khabirah Weddington, Cece Chan, & Jesse Hagopian Black Education Matters Student Activist award ceremony At the first NAACP Youth Coalition Racial Justice Conference on Saturday, ethnic studies teacher Jesse Hagopian and Superbowl champion/bestselling author Michael Bennett presented the Black Education Matters Student Activist Award (BEMSAA) to three of the most dynamic and powerful changemaking youth in Seattle. The 2019 BEMSAA award winners are: Rena Mateja Walker Burr, Cleveland High Schoo ..read more

It’s time to nominate your favorite Seattle based anti-racist student activist for the Black Education Matters Student Activist Award (BEMSAA). Seattle Public School students  (or advocates on their behalf) can apply for the Award by filling out this application.  Applications for the 2019 award are due by May 10th and award winners will be announced around the end of the month. THE OPPORTUNITY: The Black Education Matters Student Activist Award fund offers a $1000 package to a deserving Seattle public school student who demonstrates exceptional leadership in struggles for social ju ..read more

In January of 2015, Jesse Hagopian gave the final speech at Seattle’s Martin Luther King Day rally.  Not long after, he was pepper-sprayed without provocation by an officer of the Seattle Police Department.  The incident was captured on video by an onlooker. Jesse reached a settlement over the incident with the City of Seattle and used the proceeds to start the “Black Education Matters Student Activist Award.” Seattle Public School students  (or advocates on their behalf) can apply for the Black Education Matters Student Activist Award by filling out this application. THE OPPORT ..read more