Evan Robinson (click on photo to its larger version), a member of Clemente's African-American Club was recently awarded the Princeton Prize for his presentation at the Youth Social Justice Conference at The University of Illinois at Chicago, in May 2009. Robison's presentation focused on the "Unity in the Americas" Black History Month activities, where he encouraged other schools to adopt similar programs.
Robinson was awarded a $1,000 grant and a trip to Princeton University.
Evan Robinson, a junior, has been a leader in Clemente's African-American Club for two years. In 2009, the African-American Club partnered with Aspira, the Latino student group, to create a week of Black History Month events that would bring together African-American and Latino students, themed "Unity in the Americas." It was designed to celebrate Black and Latino unity and demonstrate the commonalities that exist among Clemente's diverse student populations. The week featured a day of discussions on topics such as oppression, youth, and Black history; a presentation by a leader of the Haitian community in Chicago; and a presentation on the African presence in the Americas, which helped the school's students and staff learn about the history and struggles of the African Diaspora. The closing ceremony, in which Evan Robinson was Master of Ceremonies, featured performances by students in the African-American Club and Aspira. In the weeks following Black-Latino Unity Week, students of different races began to interact more frequently outside of the classroom.
