The Roanoke Branch NAACP invites you to come join in celebration of Jubilee Day, at 12 noon Monday Jan 1, 2018 at Loudon Avenue Christian Church. A reception will immediately follow the program.
Jubilee Day is centered on the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 which lead to all slaves eventually being granted freedom. The distinguished speaker will be Blake Barnes, a native Roanoker and 2015 honor graduate of William Fleming High School.
As a student in the Roanoke Public School system, he was a member of the National Honor Society, president of the Kiwanis Empowering Youth (Key Club), and a recipient of the Educational Credit Management corporation (ECMC) scholarship. Blake was also active in his community through volunteering, while being a member of the Roanoke Area Youth Substance Abuse Coalition, the Renaissance Academy and president of the Roanoke NAACP Youth Council. He credits the NAACP for being one of the most important and profound organizations that he has been part of, by exposing him to various networking connections, opportunities, and experiences while further educating him on the rich history and culture of his race and ethnicity as an African American.
Blake used his platform as a student leader to promote political and social justice involvement, especially when dealing with the issues that concern African American citizens in his community. He also used his leadership qualities to engage other students and young adults throughout his community to become aware of the issues going on and how they could use their voices to create positive change.
In addition to being a fulltime student, Blake strives to remain involved on campus though the ODU chapter of the NAACP, Brother to Brother, Black King Movement and the Ebony Impact Gospel Choir. He also was recently elected Vice President of the VA State NAACP Youth and College Division. Through this position, he helps strategically organize and plan events, while overseeing and advising numerous college chapters and youth councils throughout the state.
Blake is grateful for the favor of God over his life and believes that “With God all things are possible!” His two favorite quotes are: “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, determination, hard work, and learning from failure” – Colin Powell; and “Don’t downgrade your Dreams to match your Reality; upgrade your Faith to match your Destiny!” – Devon Franklin.
Blake is optimistic about his future because he knows “The best is yet to come!”
