Grandson of the late Nelson Mandela, renowned author, activist, and advocate, will bring his inspirational message to HCCC on January 18
It’s not every day that the grandson of a world leader and renowned champion for human rights visits a community college. But that’s precisely what will happen on January 18, 2024, when Ndaba Mandela, grandson of former South African president Nelson Mandela, will speak at Hudson County Community College (HCCC) as part of the College’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration.
While Mandela is the grandson of Nelson Mandela, he is also an accomplished advocate for human rights and social justice in his own right.
Ndaba is the Founder of the Mandela Institute for Humanity, an organization continuing the legacy of Nelson Mandela by inspiring and uniting people to build a fair and just world. He is also the Co-founder and Chairman of the Africa Rising Foundation, an organization dedicated to promoting a positive image of Africa worldwide. Furthermore, he is the longest-serving ambassador to UNAIDS, a United Nations organization focused on combatting the HIV/AIDS pandemic and ending discrimination towards people living with HIV and AIDS.
Ndaba was recently recognized for his efforts in these areas when Black Entertainment Television (BET) named him one of its “28 Men of Change.”
Ndaba is also the author of Going to the Mountain: Lessons from my Grandfather, Nelson Mandela, which tells the story of Mandela’s life through the eyes of his grandson. Part of Ndaba’s mission is to introduce the teachings of his grandfather to the younger generation, who didn’t grow up watching Mandela fight against the injustices of and ultimately overcoming South Africa’s apartheid government.
HCCC President Dr. Christopher stated, “Nelson Mandela inspired a generation with his tireless fight for dignity and equality for all South Africans, ultimately overcoming the unjust apartheid regime and showing the world that true change can be achieved through peaceful measures. We are thrilled to welcome Ndaba Mandela to HCCC, where the next generation will have the opportunity to hear his inspiring message that one person can make a difference.”
The event will take place on Thursday, January 18, 2024 from 10:30 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. and is open to all HCCC students, faculty, staff, and community members.
Individuals interested in attending can register for the event online here.
Caption: Advocate, author and activist Ndaba Mandela, grandson of Nelson Mandela, will speak to members of the HCCC community at the College’s 2024 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. annual memorial.
About Hudson County Community College
Hudson County Community College serves more than 20,000 credit and non-credit students annually. The College offers over 90 degree and certificate programs, including award-winning English as a Second Language; Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); Culinary Arts/Hospitality Management; Nursing and Health Professions; and Humanities and Social Sciences. The HCCC Culinary/Hospitality Management program was ranked number six in the U.S. by Best Choice Schools. The College’s School of Continuing Education and Workforce Development offers cutting-edge, industry recognized, stackable credentials in alignment with high-priority workforce needs.
HCCC has partnerships with major four-year colleges and universities in the greater New Jersey-New York area and beyond, accommodating seamless transfer of credits for further undergraduate and graduate education.
The College’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has been recognized with the 2021 Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) Northeast Regional Equity Award; the “INSIGHT Into Diversity” 2021, 2022 and 2023 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award, this year honoring HCCC as one of six community colleges nationally to be named “Top Colleges for Diversity;” and the “INSIGHT Into Diversity” 2022 and 2023 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award. HCCC was a recent finalist for the American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) “Advancing Diversity Award of Excellence.”
For the second consecutive year, HCCC was selected as one of 20 community colleges in the United States to be named among the “2023 Most Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges” by the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) in collaboration with “Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.” HCCC was one of 22 community colleges in the nation, and the only college in New Jersey, to be recognized by ModernThink LLC and “The Chronicle of Higher Education” as a 2022 and 2023 “Great College to Work For®,” this year achieving Honor Roll status for top ratings in seven of ten categories.
HCCC is one of two colleges in the United States to be named a Top Ten Finalist in all three program categories for the nationally recognized 2023 Bellwether Awards, and received the 2023 Bellwether Award for the College’s cutting-edge “Hudson Scholars” program. The College’s exemplary work in advancing student success has been recognized with 2023 “Leader College” designation by Achieving the Dream, the national nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing community colleges as catalysts for equity and mobility in their communities. HCCC was also recognized with the Campus Prevention Network Seal of Prevention by Vector Solutions for demonstrating leadership in digital prevention programming focused on student safety, well-being, and inclusion.
