含羞草传媒

NAACP Speech on June 12, 2026

Good evening, everyone. I am Dr. Terence Finley and I have the honor and pleasure to serve as the 8th President of Corning Community College.

It is truly an honor to join you tonight at the 57th Annual Freedom Fund Awards Celebration hosted by the Elmira/Corning NAACP. I want to thank the President, leadership, members, community partners, sponsors, and all those whose commitment and sacrifice continue to move this work forward year after year.

To the award recipients this evening 鈥� congratulations. Your lives and your service remind us that progress is never accidental. It is built by people willing to lead, willing to serve, willing to stand up when it is difficult, and willing to keep going when the path forward is uncertain.

Tonight鈥檚 theme 鈥� 鈥�Thriving and Surviving During Uncertain Times鈥� 鈥� could not be timelier.

Across our nation and within our communities, many people are living with uncertainty. Families are navigating economic pressures. Students are questioning their futures. Institutions are being tested. Communities are wrestling with division, anxiety, and change happening at a pace that can feel overwhelming.

And yet, if there is one thing the history of the NAACP teaches us, it is this:

We have seen uncertain times before.
Our ancestors faced uncertainty when doors were closed to them.

They faced uncertainty when their humanity was questioned.
They faced uncertainty when opportunities were denied, when justice was delayed, and when hope itself was challenged.

But they did more than survive.

They built.
They organized.
They educated.
They prayed.
They marched.
They led.
They thrived!

As a result, they created pathways for generations they would never meet. And we should never forget that.

That is why tonight is not simply a celebration. It is a continuation.

Because thriving during uncertain times requires more than endurance. It requires vision. It requires courage. It requires community. And it requires institutions willing to stand firmly in the belief that every person deserves opportunity, dignity, and the chance to reach their fullest potential.

As President of Corning Community College, I see every day how transformative education can be. I see students balancing jobs, families, and coursework while refusing to give up on their dreams.

I see first-generation students stepping onto a college campus carrying both fear and hope. I see students who have been underserved, underrepresented, under-resourced, and in some cases underprepared 鈥� and worst yet, underestimated.

I see adult learners returning to school to redefine what is possible for themselves and their families. I see students discover their voice, their confidence, and their purpose.

As President, one of the greatest privileges of my role is watching students grow. I see students who discover passions they never knew they had. I see future nurses, teachers, engineers, entrepreneurs, scientists, artists, and community leaders. I see students who overcome obstacles, exceed expectations, and accomplish goals that once seemed out of reach. Most importantly, I see students who come to realize what we already know: they are capable of achieving extraordinary things.

That belief is at the heart of what I call The Spirit of Corning Community College鈥攁 spirit grounded in opportunity, perseverance, excellence, compassion, and a shared commitment to helping one another succeed. And I firmly believe that community colleges occupy a unique and powerful space in moments like these.

Because when uncertainty rises, education becomes more than a credential.
It becomes stability.
It becomes mobility.
It becomes empowerment.
It becomes hope.
It becomes opportunity.

But, if we are going to truly help people thrive, we must do more than open doors. We must ensure people feel they belong once they walk through them.

Thriving requires access.
But it also requires support.
It requires mentorship.
It requires representation.
It requires relationships.

And it requires environments where people are seen not for their 鈥榩erceived鈥� limitations, but for their potential.

That work belongs to all of us.

It belongs to educators.
It belongs to faith leaders.
It belongs to business leaders.
It belongs to elected officials.
It belongs to organizations like the NAACP.

And it belongs to every individual willing to make someone else鈥檚 path a little easier. One of the greatest dangers during uncertain times is the temptation to become disconnected from one another 鈥� to retreat into isolation, fear, or hopelessness.

But history reminds us that progress has never been achieved alone.

The Civil Rights Movement was not sustained by individuals acting independently. It was sustained by communities united around a shared purpose. People linking arms. People believing that collective action could produce collective change.

And that same principle remains true today.

When communities work together, students succeed.
When institutions collaborate, opportunities expand.
When people choose empathy over division, healing and progress becomes possible.

That is why partnerships matter so deeply to me 鈥� partnerships between education and industry, between campuses and communities, between organizations and families. Because preparing our students for the opportunities of tomorrow requires us to work together today.

We must ensure that young people not only survive this moment, but are equipped to lead the next one.

And leadership, especially now, must be grounded in humanity.

Not titles.
Not power.
Not ego.

Humanity.

The ability to listen.
The willingness to serve.
The courage to stand for what is right.
And the discipline to keep moving forward even when the future is uncertain.

I often think about what future generations will say about this moment in history.

Will they say we allowed fear to divide us?
Or will they say we chose courage?

Will they say we became consumed by uncertainty?
Or will they say we built stronger communities because of it?

Will they say we merely survived? Or will they say we found ways to thrive together?

I believe the answer depends on what we choose now.

I believe it depends on whether we continue investing in people.

Whether we continue believing in young people.

Whether we continue fighting for equity and opportunity.

Whether we continue building bridges instead of barriers.

And I believe hope still lives powerfully within communities like this one.

Because when I look around this room tonight, I do not see weakness.
I see resilience.
I see excellence.
I see perseverance.
I see legacy.
And I see possibility.

The NAACP has long reminded this nation that justice requires persistence. That progress requires participation. And that silence, in difficult moments is never an option.

So tonight, let us leave here recommitted:
Recommitted to lifting others.
Recommitted to creating opportunity.
Recommitted to strengthening our communities.
And recommitted to ensuring that uncertain times do not define us 鈥� but instead refine us.

To every student wondering if they belong 鈥� you do.

To every family carrying heavy burdens 鈥� persevere. Know that your journey is worth it.

To every leader trying to make a difference 鈥� your work matters.

And to every person who has grown weary during these challenging times 鈥� do not lose hope.

Because our greatest strength has always been each other.

And together we will turn uncertain times into an opportunity to showcase how powerful working together can actually be!

Thank you again to the Elmira/Corning NAACP for this incredible honor and for your unwavering commitment to justice, equity, and community.

May we continue not only to survive uncertain times 鈥�
but to thrive through them, together.

Thank you, and may God bless us all.