Singer and actress, Janelle Monae, over the weekend received an honorary degree of Humane Letters from Dillard University, a historically black libera
Singer and actress, Janelle Monae, over the weekend received an honorary degree of Humane Letters from Dillard University, a historically black liberal arts college in New Orleans. She also spoke at the school’s commencement ceremony, discussing her role as NASA physicist Mary Jackson in the movie, ‘Hidden Figures’ while also exhorting the graduating class to choose freedom over fear.
In an Instagram post about the honor, Monáe wrote: “I never thought I’d see the day that I’d be receiving an honorary doctorate’s degree of humane letters from such a prestigious HBCU like Dillard University. Almost didn’t accept out of fear and doubt; thinking I needed to be a specific type of person to receive such a high honor.
“I accept this honor in the name of my family; my grandmother who was a share cropper in Mississippi, had 12 kids, and never got an opportunity to get a higher education. I accept this honor in the name of my parents who worked as janitors, post office workers, and garbage collectors serving the community PROUDLY, but never got a chance to fully pursue a higher education. This one is for my family.”
Also, songwriter music producer, singer and producer of the movie, ‘Hidden Figures’ Pharrell Williams received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree while giving the commencement address at New York University. Williams, who was an artist in residence at the Tisch School of the Arts last year was already a PhD holder in political science before the received degree.
During his 10-minute address, he spoke about humility, innovation and the changing world that today’s graduates are entering into.
‘The days of being anonymous activists or participants are over. How can we inspire if we are behind the scenes?’ he said.
Pharrell also spoke in depth about the importance of uplifting women.
‘Your generation is unraveling deeply entrenched laws, principals and misguided values that have held women back for far too long and, therefore, have held us all back,’ he said.
He closed out the speech by urging students to serve a purpose greater than themselves.
‘There is no humanity without education and there is no education without humanity,’ he explained
