LEOMINSTER — It’s the end of an era for one young lady and the beginning of one for another when it comes to their high school experience.
Leominster High School Class of 2026 member Princess Sasu is passing the baton of spearheading the Celebrating the Success of Women of Color speaker series to Abena Yankey, who recently wrapped up her junior year.
“It was amazing to organize the speaker series over the past three years, and I am very excited to see what is in store in the near future,” said Sasu, who has been in charge of the inspirational speaker series her older sister launched in 2022.
The teenager relayed that she is “incredibly thankful for the support of the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts,” which provides grant funding for the speaker series.
“Without their support the speaker series would not be able to occur,” Sasu said of the Fitchburg-based nonprofit.
She is getting her diploma at graduation on June 6 along with her fellow seniors and then headed to the University of Massachusetts Amherst as an honors student. Sasu shared that she is “very excited to see what my future holds” and said that while moving on from the speaker series is bittersweet, she knows it will be in good hands with Agyepong running it.
“She is a very ambitious student and is ready to learn from this wonderful program,” Sasu said of her classmate. “She is very excited to meet amazing speakers and is excited to give students an opportunity to learn from them.”
Agyepong was selected out of the several applications that were submitted and reviewed by Sasu and others.
“We felt that she best fit the criteria to organize the Speaker series,” Sasu said of the standout candidate.
Yankey, a lifelong city resident, said she is “grateful for this opportunity” and thrilled to be carrying on the legacy of the Sasu sisters.
“I wanted to continue the speaker series because of the impact it has made on my own life,” the 17-year-old expressed. “I remember attending my first one freshman year not knowing what to expect and leaving with a new outlook on life and how despite the circumstances, I could create a better future for myself and my family. With the women of color telling their stories it allowed me to envision myself being just like them — strong and successful. I hope to carry this on to other young people of color who might not see themselves in high positions and show them that it is possible regardless of their situation.”
Sasu said the most recent Celebrating the Success of Women of Color program on May 19, the final one she was in charge of, “went very well.” She invited Worcester based attorney Akosua Agyepong to talk to the students about her journey towards becoming a lawyer, a woman who Sasu called “an amazing speaker.”
“She explained that she was unsure of what career field she wanted to pursue however, through internships at the Judicial Youth Corps in Worcester and other internships she fell in love with family law,” Sasu said of the guest presenter. “She emphasized the importance of a support system while in school, discussed the challenges of a work life balance, and encouraged students to always be kind and to take every opportunity given to them so that they can learn more about themselves and the world around them.”
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