‘My time here has been transformational.’ Florida Memorial celebrates in-person graduation

Graduates of Florida Memorial University celebrated in the sunshine and under the clock tower Saturday, rejoicing in the first live commencement ceremony in more than a year.

“I’ve only been to one other outdoor commencement in my 10 years here so it’s pretty unique for us,” said Dr. Tameka Bradley Hobbs, associate provost for academic affairs and founding director of FMU’s Social Justice Institute. “But it was a beautiful event and I think everybody’s happy. It’s a bright note in a lot of darkness.”

The ceremony, held at the Clock Tower Pavilion at the Historically Black university’s Miami Gardens campus, was uplifting from its start when 128 graduates from the classes of 2020 and 2021 and their families joined in the chorus in “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing.” James Weldon Johnson, an educator and one of the early leaders of the NAACP, wrote the song as a poem, his brother John set it to music, and it was sung for the first time in a Lincoln’s Birthday celebration in 1900 at the segregated Stanton School in Jacksonville, where Weldon was principal, according to the NAACP.

Saturday’s keynote speaker was Dr. Matthew Knowles, a music executive and manager and father of Solange and Beyoncé Knowles.

He spoke about leadership, character, and service — words embedded in the university’s founding.

“You had to change, modify and adapt,” he told the graduates. “Your class will always be known for your social courage. You could be sitting right next to the president, vice president, or civil rights leader who changes America.”

One of the potential candidates was law and government major Zion Gates-Norris, a graduating senior and Student Association vice president. Zion, a graduate of Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale, got his start in politics when he worked as a campus organizer on Andrew Gillum’s Democratic gubernatorial campaign in 2018.

He then worked on the campaign of State Sen. Shevrin Jones, a Democrat serving parts of Miami-Dade and Broward, and was a Young American Associate on the Biden-Harris presidential campaign last fall.

“My time here has been transformational,” said Gates-Norris, who is deciding between Barry University and Florida Atlantic University to pursue a master’s degree in public administration. “I’ve learned a lot, not just educationally, but I also learned a lot of things spiritually. I’ve truly become an agent for love and mercy, and I thank Florida Memorial for that.”

Queen Aguila also was transformed by her years at Florida Memorial. She is a Class of 2020 graduate who walked across the stage a year later, after the university canceled its ceremony last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Miami Northwestern High graduate spent what would have been her graduation last year at home.

“Frankly, I was devastated because I wanted to walk. It was lonely and kind of depressing, but I got over it. I’m here today,” she said.

Aguila, 23, brought along her twin girls, nearly three months old, and her family to celebrate.

“I had to think about my babies. I had to do it for them.”

She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and is planning on enrolling in a master’s program at Florida International University, with an eventual goal of a doctorate in clinical psychology.

“This is one of the best days of my life,” said Omar Rene Aguila, her father, wiping away tears. “I feel like I was just reborn.”

Florida Memorial is South Florida’s only Historically Black College and University (HBCU). After its founding in 1879 at Live Oak in northern Florida, the school relocated to Jacksonville and to St. Augustine due to racial violence. In 1968, Florida Memorial moved to South Florida after the campus became a target of white supremacists.

“For us to have survived demonstrates the resiliency that we try to instill in our students,” said Hobbs.

The ceremony was held outside, masks were required, and all staff were tested prior to the event.

“We felt that we could be comfortable and have a safety event that would offer our students and family our campus and the opportunity to come together for this really special time,” Hobbs said.

Yulianna Charris, a Class of 2020 graduate who received her degree in finance, noted all that the school has done for her.

A native of Caracas, Venezuela, she came to the university on a full athletic scholarship as a volleyball player. In her 2019-2020 senior year, the team won the Sun Conference Championship.

“It’s just a privilege all the opportunities this school has given me. A full ride is a dream come true,” said Charris, who didn’t speak much English when she arrived and is now fluent. “I’m coming from a country that is not in a very good state right now, and it just opened the path for me.”

She earned the Academic Achievement Award three years in a row, graduating with a 4.0 GPA. She was sad that her family, who lives in Venezuela, could not be with her, but she was glad to have finally walked across the stage.

“You start climbing and you don’t actually stop and think about it, but I was thinking about it today,” she said. “Everything was so emotional. It feels very good.”

The president of the university, Dr. Jaffus Hardrick, noted the challenges the graduates faced in overcoming the pandemic while fighting for racial equity during the past year.

“We need a community of angelic troublemakers,” he said.