MISF Grant Helps Make Possible MIHS Black History Month Assembly Keynote Speaker

Mercer Island, WA, March 21, 2023 - A Mercer Island Schools Foundation (MISF) grant helped bring Ijeoma Oluo to Mercer Island High School to be Keynote Speaker at the school’s Black History Month Assembly on February 10. 

The assembly started with a beautiful piece performed by the MIHS Orchestra. Senior Brooks Kahsai followed the performance with a speech and then Black Student Union Advisor Kelly John-Lewis introduced Ijeoma Oluo.

Oluo is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller So You Want to Talk About Race and recently released Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America. Her work on race has been featured in the New York Times and the Washington Post, among many others. She is on the 2021 TIME 100 Next list and has twice been named to the Root 100. She received the 2018 Feminist Humanist Award and the 2020 Harvard Humanist of the Year Award from the American Humanist Association. She lives in Seattle, Washington.

Oluo shared a thought-provoking presentation and held an informative question-and-answer session. School administrators heard from many students and staff that this was the best assembly they had ever participated in. 

One student shared, "Ms. Oluo's words were so authentic and powerful. Her words impacted me and made me think about race in a way I never before have, and I can say with confidence that I will now speak up or not tolerate any injustice I see or experience around me."

The students and staff at MIHS are very thankful for the fantastic opportunity this assembly provided. The school will continue to focus on creating an inclusive and courageous environment at MIHS. 

The Black Student Union and all of Mercer Island High School is extremely thankful to MISF for their support in making this special assembly happen. 

The Mercer Island Schools Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) public service, non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing and improving the quality of education provided to ALL Mercer Island School District students by obtaining contributions for the public schools.

Started in 1981, the Foundation has raised over $26 million thanks to the generous community.

Since its founding, the Foundation has become the catalyst for the Mercer Island community to guarantee every teacher has access to the most up-to-date, innovative educational materials that guarantee exceptional teaching and learning experiences for every student.

The tremendous success of the organization lies in the simple fact that the Mercer Island Schools Foundation was born in a community that places value on quality education. Learn more about the impact of our community’s commitment to education.