Montgomery mayor extols virtues of HBCUs in speech at Stillman College

Stillman College students on Thursday heard about the importance of attending a historically Black college or university from an HBCU graduate who rose to become the first Black mayor of Alabama's capital city.

“You're walking in the footsteps of trailblazers,'' Montgomery Mayor Steven L. Reed said in Tuscaloosa during Stillman College's fall convocation at Birthright Alumni Hall.

Reed, a graduate of Morehouse College, an HBCU in Atlanta, encouraged the students to take full advantage of the opportunity they have in attending a historically Black institution like Stillman and reflect on those who paved the way as they continue into the academic year.

Stillman President Cynthia Warrick introduced Reed and the Montgomery mayor said his mission was to uplift students while encouraging them to embrace the full experience of attending an HBCU, which he said will include challenges, cultural advantages and, most importantly, the opportunity for community engagement.

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"The HBCU experience is as much about community engagement and community leadership as it is anything else," Reed said.

He said he also wanted to leave students with an understanding of the historical impact they're making by attending Stillman.

Reed said he believes Stillman College students have the power to create change and fill vacuums that still exist in the United States.

“I think it's called on leaders and young leaders, like many of the students here, to step in and fill the void, across the board in our country,” Reed said.

The Montgomery mayor said he cherishes each opportunity he has to speak at colleges because he enjoys listening and learning from young people.

“I think it's so important for us to keep in mind that a lot of the change that's happened in this country was led by young people, led by college students,” Reed said.

Reed, a native of Montgomery, was elected in November 2019 as the 57th mayor of the city of Montgomery. As mayor, Reed has led the city through the COVID-19 pandemic and spearheaded the effort to increase funding for Montgomery’s public schools for the first time in 30 years. He has also has leveraged partnerships with Ed Farm, a nonprofit that focuses on education, and technology companies like Apple to increase access to high-tech tools and teacher assets in Montgomery Public Schools.

In 2021, Reed announced a plan to reinvest $50 million in Montgomery neighborhoods, community centers, public transportation and public safety infrastructure.

Reed earned his bachelor's degree from Morehouse and a master's degree from Vanderbilt University. He and his wife Tamika Reed have three children.

Before becoming mayor, Reed served Montgomery County as Alabama’s first Black and the youngest person ever elected probate judge.

Reed said he believes he brings a different perspective and philosophy to the table as the first Black mayor of Montgomery.

“Ultimately, you don't want to be remembered as the first. You want to be remembered as the best,” Reed said.

At the end of his speech, Reed extended an invitation to Stillman graduates, asking them to visit the state’s capital.

“We welcome you to our city. We need your talent, we need your innovations, we need your energy, but wherever you land, land with a positive experience and a positive impact ....,” Reed said.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Montgomery mayor extols virtues of HBCUs in speech at Stillman College