Black Education

Quarterman & Keller Social Justice Scholarships

Spelman, Morehouse, and Clark Atlanta (HBCU Center) 2022 - 2023 Recipients

The Reparations Project’s first educational initiative — Social Justice Scholarships — supports 10 HBCU students at Spelman, Morehouse, and Clark Atlanta in their work toward creating a platform for social change that is undergirded by an anti-racist framework.

Quarterman & Keller Social Justice Scholars at the HBCU Center engage in social justice engagements and activities supported by the Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Center established at Spelman College under the auspices of the American Association of Colleges and Universities. The Center is directed and managed by the Director of the Social Justice Program, Dr. Cynthia Spence.

The Quarterman & Keller Social Justice Scholars program with Spelman College, Morehouse, and Clark Atlanta supports HBCU scholars as they work toward change.

Among other things, scholars in the program will engage in oral history work and work surrounding descendant families and healing, including an oral history of the Quarterman family, in Port Wentworth and Savannah.

Aiyana C. Edwards

Aiyana Edwards

Spelman College

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Calvin Bell

Calvin Bell

Morehouse College

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Chloë Catrow

Chloë Catrow

Spelman College

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Elizabeth Gowans

Elizabeth Gowans

Spelman College

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George Pratt

George Pratt

Morehouse College

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Julia Hopkins

Julia Hopkins

Clark-Atlanta University

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Lesley Yates

Lesley Yates

Spelman College

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Neil Grasty

Neil Grasty

Morehouse College

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Nia Dillard

Nia Dillard

Spelman College

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Rosemarie Louissant

Rosemarie Louissant

Spelman College

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Georgia Southern University

web asset GSU

Gullah Geechee Center
Rachal Phillips & Leah Mikell

We are thrilled to have awarded two $2,500 Social Justice Scholarships to Georgia Southern University political science major Rachal Phillips and elementary education major Leah Mikell who are part of the new Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Center at Georgia Southern in Savannah. The students’ research, which will examine the effects of a Eurocentric education system on the Black community and why many Black Americans are not aware of the Gullah Geechee community, respectively, will be presented at Georgia Southern’s Research Symposium in April 2022.

 

Columbia Law School & Life Re-entry Scholars

Brandon Harris and Sura Sohna

Brandon Harris and Sura Sohna

Brandon Harris and Sura Sohna are childhood friends with a remarkable story of social justice advocacy, determination, and success through education. After working to get Sura released from prison 12 years early, Brandon is beginning his journey at Columbia Law School, where he will be supported by a partial scholarship as a Quarterman & Keller Scholar. After an unexpected early reentry into civilian life, Sura is working to finish his GED and continue with his education as he studies photography and film. Sura will also be supported in his reentry efforts by a partial scholarship as a Quarterman & Keller Scholar. Sura is the first recipient of this type of reentry scholarship from The Reparations Project. We hope to be able to give more.

Kennesaw State

Corrine Belles

Descendant Scholarship
Corrine Belles

Corrine Belles is Randy Quarterman’s cousin and a third-year student at Kennesaw State University. She is pursuing a degree in chemistry with a forensic concentration to achieve her dream of working in toxicology. In her free time, Corrine enjoys trying out new recipes and spending time with friends.

UC Santa Barbara Black Studies Department Scholars

Department of Black Studies

The UCSB Black Studies Department has a long history of activism and education, as one of the first departments of its kind, established in 1969. It is also the first place Sarah began taking Black Studies courses, in 1989. The Reparations Project has established a fund at UCSB for additional Quarterman & Keller Scholars, to be announced next year.

 

Live in Peace (East Palo Alto, CA)

Live in Peace (East Palo Alto, CA) statistics

The LIP College Initiative has been supporting college students from East Palo Alto since 2008. And it works. Their students are already a success.

The results so far are a college graduation rate 8x higher than the national average for students in this demographic. They've seen 74 students graduate, and 73 students are currently enrolled and on-track to graduate.

We have awarded our first senior scholarship to a student from the California Bay Area and the Sequoia Union High School District. We will announce this scholar in Summer 2022.

Other Support of Black Education

Urban Mentoring Academy (Savannah, GA)

The Reparations Project supports Tre Singleton’s Urban Mentoring Academy (UMA) in Savannah which offers courses from Life Skills to Python to Black youth. UMA has partnered with the 1st Aldermanic District of Savannah and its Alderwoman, Councilmen, and School Representative to focus on youth in one area of the City, County, and School District. Their Summer Camp will start the 1st week of June and last for 6 weeks at Moses Jackson Advancement Center. UMA also supports Mr. Mo's Summer Camp on the Eastside of Savannah.

Urban Mentoring Academy Savannah Georgia

Ms. B’s C.R.L.T. Afrofuturism Course (Bay Area, CA)

The Reparations Project supports Sherinda Bryant’s summer Afrofuturism course for elementary and middle school students, created to introduce scholars to the genre of Afrofuturism through literature, STEM and the arts. The basic tenet of this genre is to use the concept of sankofa (go back and get it) to discover the wisdom and knowledge that existed prior to African enslavement and to use these facts to extinguish myths and stereotypes about African-American culture.

Afrofuturism Discovery 1
Afrofuturism Discovery 2

Narratives

We believe truth telling and authentic relationships are key to our nation’s healing and repair. We hope that our story will inspire others to interrogate their history and tell their story too. Through Narrative, we amplify descendant-family stories and Black voices. We would love to hear your story too.