Today's Hours:
By Keila Santa '25
On Thursday, January 23rd, 2025, Framingham State University proudly hosted Nelson Mandela’s grandson, Ndaba Mandela, for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Lecture. Ndaba Mandela is an inspiring advocate for social change - he is the cofounder and chairman of the Africa Rising Foundation, an executive director at UNAIDS working to combat HIV/AIDS, author of Going to the Mountain: Life Lessons from My Grandfather, Nelson Mandela, and has been recognized as one of BET’s “28 Men of Change”.
Prior to Ndaba’s speech, the GFCC Praise Team performed the Black National Anthem along with other songs as part of their “Spiritual Medley”. Audience members were invited to sing along, and people were quick to join in! Especially during the classic, “This Little Light of Mine”.
Ndaba Mandela shared details of his upbringing in Soweto, South Africa, and what it was like growing up while the Apartheid regime was still active. About a month after his grandfather became president, Mandela was taken to the suburbs of Northern Johannesburg to live with him while his father went to university. He says that HIV/AIDS ravaged the nation and it was the cause of death for both of his parents at a young age.
This experience is what brought to his attention the shame and lack of resources around HIV/AIDS, and Mandela believes it is one of the major things that perpetuates the social ills of communities in South Africa. After a conversation with his grandfather, they made the tough decision to be open about the cause of his father’s death:
“It was that moment in our history where we gave courage to families and to people to be able to tackle this disease like any other disease, because most people would think that ‘oh you got HIV because you did something dirty. Because oh, you’ve been—’ no. It works like any other disease, but the problem was the discrimination that was taking place.”
From that point on, Mandela was committed to breaking the stigma and working to bring HIV/AIDS awareness to the forefront in order to ultimately defeat it.
Ndaba also shared the pressures he felt being the grandson of someone with such a famous and powerful legacy. However, he believes that pressure is a powerful tool for reaching one's dreams, and he is grateful for the high expectations his grandfather set for him. Much of Ndaba’s message focused on addressing the youth of today and encouraging people to use their voices in the same way that his grandfather did. Mandela explains the importance of taking up a cause that you are passionate about, more specifically, “the one that talks to your heart”. His advice for the youth includes dreaming big, using your time and privilege for good, and making everyday a Mandela day by being a strong leader:''
“A leader, ladies and gentlemen, is not about being the best… To be a leader is to serve your community. It’s about standing up for those who can’t stand for themselves, and being a voice for those who are marginalized in our community."
When it comes to racial injustices, Ndaba recalls his grandfather telling him that if a man can be taught to hate, then a man can be taught to love. Because of this, he encourages people to be bold in standing against racism and correcting one another so that prejudice cycles don’t continue.
There was also a short Q&A where audience members could go up and ask Ndaba Mandela questions. One individual asked, “How does it feel following the footsteps of two amazing men?” To which Ndaba responded:
"Their values have been transferred to me… they were called from a higher power to lead their people, and they sacrificed their own families. So for me, I would see myself, to be honest, as, yes we are working in their footsteps, but we also have to create our own footsteps… I am blessed, I am very lucky to have come from these two great teachers and authors... but we all hear the words and see what these two gentlemen have been able to achieve in their lifetime, and yet we have many more tools than what they had, so what is stopping us from doing the right thing?”
Ndaba’s outlook for the coming generations is one of optimism and hope, and I have no doubt that his words of encouragement touched many of the attendees—I know that was the case for me!
To close the event, The GCFF Praise Team put on another phenomenal performance of the historical theme song of the civil rights movement, “We Shall Overcome”.
Overall, it was a joy to be able to attend and hear such inspiring messages. Bravo to the Division of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement for putting on yet another wonderful MLK Commemoration Lecture. If, as Ndaba Mandela says, young people are the key to change, I encourage everyone to take these words of wisdom and apply them to their communities in any way they can. How are you going to take your passion and become a leader?
0 Comments.