Our Graduation Cap Winners Are…

2020 has been the longest year of our lives and we just reached the halfway point. While we can’t do much to fix the world in this exact moment, we can celebrate the people that mean the most to us — and that’s you.

You have graduated in a time that will be analyzed and studied for many years to come. Throughout that hardship, you’ve taken a huge step forward in your life and career by graduating from college. From all of us at Forté, we congratulate you and wish you a bright future.

We didn’t want the lockdown to keep you from all your graduation activities, so we held a contest for your grad cap designs. Our team was blown away by your creativity!

Our runner ups are Angela Hoffman at the University of Saint Francis and Megan Lim at Purdue University. The top winner is Deborah Obi, graduating from Texas A&M University.

My graduation cap was inspired by my long term goals of being a criminal justice reform lawyer, and my passion. My undergraduate cap says, “I am a solution to the cry of many” on African American Afro hair, with a sunrise canvas.

The African American female represents myself as I embark on my law journey acknowledging that I will be counted among the 5% of African American lawyers (ABA Report, 2019). This will encourage me to Lift others as I climb so as to enable others like me a seat at the table. The Sunrise background signifies the journey ahead which will encompass hard work and resilience to see a brighter future.

Lastly, The quote “I am a solution to the cry of many” means my goal of being a solution as a criminal justice lawyer, and for the crying African American families that lose loved ones because of police violence.

– Deborah Obi, Texas A&M University