The 14th Annual Celebration of Purpose and NIA Awards

On Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, Sinclair hosted the 14th Annual Celebration of Purpose: NIA Awards and GospelFest in Blair Hall Theatre.

Nia is a Swahili word, meaning “purpose.” The ceremony honors and celebrates the achievements of Sinclair students, staff, faculty and community members who live in their purpose through gospel music.

Derek Allen, the chairperson and professor of hospitality and culinary arts, emceed the ceremony. Allen is also a past recipient of an NIA Award.

The City Day Community School Ensemble and the Imani A’ccapella provided musical performances. At the end of the ceremony, the Celebration of Purpose committee invited the attendees to come on stage and sing along with them.

The event was free for everyone, and food was provided at a reception beforehand, where attendees could mingle and meet committee members.

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Before the awards were given out, Amaha Sellassie, associate professor and member of the Celebration of Purpose committee, led the audience in a libation ceremony. A libation is a drink poured out as an offering to a deity. In this case, Sellassie poured water onto a plant to honor those who had passed.

“Libation is a way to honor those who went before us to pave a road to today,” Sellassie said. “It also grounds us, especially at this moment. What is it that we’re laying for those in future generations?”

What followed was the audience saying the names of those who had passed, be it a friend or civil rights activist. The audience followed each name by saying “Ashe.”, which means “so be it.”

The winners of the 2025 NIA Awards are as follows:

Student of the year Award: Christina D. Jones