Garden City, NY – Twelve scholars selected for the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island’s Barbara C. Harris Scholars Program will be presented with their scholarships by the Rt. Rev. Lawrence C. Provenzano, Bishop of Long Island, during a “Juneteenth Jubilee” on June 15th at 11 am at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Garden City, NY. The event is open to the public; registration is required.
Scholarships of $5,000 will be awarded to twelve college and trade/vocational students who have demonstrated scholarly achievement and commitment to their communities. All scholars are the descendants of enslaved people who have exhibited exceptional academic excellence and dedicated themselves to creating a more just world through service to their communities.
The 2024 scholars include Zander Sargeant of Brooklyn; Kemmora Simmons of Copiague; Icema Castle of Queens; Ashley Agyeman of Queens; Christian Auguste of Hempstead; Erronn Bridgewater of Riverhead; Maya Drame of Dix Hills; Olutoyin Green of Freeport; Qiana Felician of Roosevelt; Jisselle Porter of Baldwin; Avery Jones of Brooklyn; and Dathaniel Henry of Brooklyn.
This is the third year that scholarships will be awarded through the Barbara C. Harris Scholars Program, established in 2022 by the Reparations Committee of the Diocese of Long Island. Created specifically for Black, African American, and Caribbean American descendants of enslaved people pursuing higher education or vocational training, this program seeks to break down financial barriers that have hindered the educational aspirations of these scholars.
The selection process was rigorous, with 95 applications received and evaluated through three rounds by the Diocese of Long Island’s Reparations Committee, led by Penny Allen Grinage. Their vision is to expand and perpetuate this program annually, extending support to even more deserving students seeking to further their education.