Birmingham Promise Executive Director Samantha Williams has won a national award that will provide $1 million to support scholarship and internship programs for students at Birmingham City Schools.
The CAFE Group announced Thursday that Williams is among five winners of this year’s 1954 Project Luminary Award, which goes to leaders at organizations that are working to transform educational outcomes in Black communities.
“This recognition is a tremendous honor for Samantha, and it is a true reflection of the caliber of leadership she has provided for Birmingham Promise,” said Danny McKinney, chairman of the Birmingham Promise board of directors. “We are proud of this award and grateful to The CAFE Group for supporting and helping us uphold the vision of Birmingham Promise.”
Named for the year of the Brown v. Board of Education decision, The 1954 Project is The CAFE Group’s flagship initiative dedicated to fulfilling the promise of equitable education in the United States. Its Luminary Award winners receive $1 million in unrestricted funding for their programs and join a network of innovators transforming education across the country.
“These leaders represent the breadth of innovation happening across the education ecosystem,” said Tiffany Thompson, chief impact officer of The CAFE Group. “Together, this new class strengthens the infrastructure for lasting change and pushes us closer to a future where educational opportunity clears the way for every child to thrive.”
Williams said she is thrilled to be included among this year’s winners, and she is especially thankful for a significant investment that will help Birmingham Promise increase the number of college graduates from Birmingham City Schools, provide students with pathways for good jobs and meaningful careers, and sustain Birmingham Promise programs going forward.
“It is an incredible honor to be selected as a Luminary,” Williams said. “This is a testament to how powerfully our mission and students’ achievements resonate, reaching national donors who have hundreds of organizations and leaders to choose from. I couldn’t be more excited for this partnership and the support and opportunities it will provide.”
Birmingham Promise covers up to four years of tuition in public Alabama colleges and universities for all Birmingham City Schools graduates. To date, Promise has provided more than $15 million in tuition assistance to more than 1,600 graduates of Birmingham City Schools. It has also provided internships to more than 350 Birmingham City Schools seniors to allow them to build career networks and job skills.
Applications for Birmingham Promise scholarships and for spring internships will open October 1 for current seniors at Birmingham City Schools.
For more information on Birmingham Promise, visit birminghampromise.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. To learn more about The CAFE Group, visit thecafe.org.
