Alumni Feature: Sha'Kira Bobbit

Photo Courtesy

This is Amber Moses coming to you from University High School. Let me just say, it has given me so much inspiration get to know and learn about Ms. Sha'Kira Bobbit.  Ms. Sha'Kira is a very successful young lady and a role model. I love the way she never gives up and chases her dreams. She's an overachiever who makes me proud to be a University High School student.  Before I get ahead of myself, allow me to introduce you to Ms. Sha'Kira Bobbit.We started the interview discussing what she did after leaving her high school days behind.

Ms. Bobbit is the founder and CEO of Just Joy Media. It is a Newark based multi media company focused on amplifying the voices of the people, responsible journalism, and community service. Since Ms. Bobbit is her own boss, I wanted to know what personal attributes she thinks are necessary to be successful in her field.

"One personal attribute that is essential to my career is that I have a big mouth!!! I have the tendency to say what's on mind. The good news is I am mature enough to be selective about when to speak and usually have educated and informed responses. The problem with that is you cannot please everyone. That's where confidence comes in. I am confident about my voice. I am confident about my viewpoint. And I am confident enough to defend my positions. Courage also helps out when it comes to chasing a story. Be it a political rally or the BET Awards, getting an exclusive interview or a comment takes courage. My career takes courage to walk in unfamiliar places as if you belong there. Being a member of the press means having the courage to walk up to your favorite actor and remain professional. I also need the courage to express unpopular perspectives. Lastly, my favorite personal attribute that is essential to my career success my passionate zest for life! I am going to life the life out of this life!!! I enjoy myself each and every chance I get! That desire to experience fun and laughter takes me places many wouldn't dare to travel and that place Is called Joy!"

Six weeks after graduating University in 1997, Ms. Bobbit's mom and my God father packed up her stuff into a van and drove her to Freshman Orientation at Virginia State University in Petersburg, VA. She spent two years enrolled and experiencing HBCU life and then another year discovering who she was. Ms. Bobbit completed her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology in her late 20's by taking online and guided study courses from Thomas Edison State University. Subsequently, she spent some time pursuing a Master's in Special Education through an Urban Teacher Residency program sponsored by Montclair State University where she spent time embedded in elementary schools in Newark.

I asked Ms. Bobbit if she thought University High School adequately prepared you for college and/or a career. She said the following:

"University High School had a magic within its walls that helped to create countless talented, well rounded, culturally aware, and productive assets to society at large and our individual communities respectively. I like to believe we were the beneficiaries of a rare combination of qualified and caring faculty, intelligent and driven students, and a surrounding community that while not perfect, still protected and nurtured us the best it could. Academically, University High school was technologically, culturally, and socially advanced. These essential factors coupled with a competitive spirit and a genuine sense of collectivism more than adequately prepared me to leave my hometown to explore and conquer an out of state HBU at 18 years old, and now every state I visit on my media journey."

I'm certain I will have many fond memories of my days here at University. I asked Ms. Bobbit to tell me her fondest memory from high school. She said, "My days at Uni were filled to the brim with countless wonderful, sad, funny, and powerful moments all captured in those long echoing hallways. Within me lies the heart of an activist. I am the one who speaks out, stands up, and will not flinch in the face of adversity. So of course my fondest memory of University is the infamous walk out of 1997. The physical conditions of our building had gone unattended and we were beyond fed up. We did everything right and proper before that fateful day. This memory remains with me because when all those measures failed, my peers, some of our faculty, and some of our parents believed in what we were fighting for so deeply and completely that we were moved to action. They heard us. They saw us. And our presence could not be denied. That walk out brought about real changes in our physical building but it changed my mind about how powerful my voice and my actions could truly be. Now it’s my mission to use various types of media to continue to amplify the voices of youth in my city and around the world."

I asked Ms. Bobbit if there was anything she'd change about high school if she could get a do over would she, to that she had this to say, "If had to do high school all over I would not change one single thing. The sum of my years at University add to the total sum of who I am today. Without every good and bad thing that happened during my high school years, my adult story would be drastically different. I consider myself blessed and fortunate that my high school experience was not arduous or tumultuous at all. I wasn't the best student with the best grades nor the worst. I think I was right in the middle, balancing getting my education in the classroom and getting the rest from living life. For me, that balance has been a secret recipe for success."

I followed up that question by asking, what did you most look forward to doing at school?

"In school I most looked forward to my Law in Action class. Naturally a debater, this class gave me the chance to learn about our judicial system, practice arguing in a nice and effective way (LOL), and let us see the machine from the inside. In fact, senior year my partner and I won the Seton Hall Law Moot Court Competition earning our school top recognition, displaying our educated and informed voices, and pocketing $500 cash!"What advice would you give to current University students?"

I couldn't let Ms. Bobbit go without asking her to share some advice with us. Her advice is as follows; "The best advice I could give to current University students would be to find your voice. Each and every one of us has something unique, creative, and necessary to share with this world. Whether you use your voice literally, or symbolically through art, music, or any other form of expression it deserves to heard and you have everything you need to release it to world."

Just Joy w. Charlemagne from The Breakfast Club 

Just Joy w/ Common

       

Just Joy w/ 

As you can see, Ms. Shakira is an amazing individual. She is the true definition of a “go-getter”! I admire the advice she would like to give students… “find your voice”. However way you use it, defines who you are and you will find various ways to express your voice.
Another thing that stood out to me was this quote, “Our presence could not be denied…Whether you use your voice literally, or symbolically through art, music, or any other form of expression it deserves to heard and you have everything you need to release it to world.”

Thank you so very much for your time Ms. Bobbit.