#MosquitoClaps I started community managing as a teenager by helping Mama

Muriel

with The

Call of Esther Ministries

’ Christmas parties for youth in our Alexandria, Virginia community; packaging hundreds of Christmas gifts through the season, annually

I went on to preside over numerous and diverse organizations in college; eventually becoming Campus Involvement Director for our over 50,000 community members at the

University of Florida

: Go Gators

In my professional & volunteer life, I have always brought my community engagement passions to the fore.

Firstly, laying the professional blueprint for

Y 107.9 FM Ghana

’s online fan base #YArmy in creating a viable business case for ongoing success, then

Google

’s

YouTube

Content Creator’s Huddles at

ISpace

,

Impact Hub Accra

’s

Apprentice Network Program

and, capping my joyous 7-year curation with our

Global Shapers

community from Accra to Abuja to Port Louis to Addis Ababa to Geneva to Johannesburg to the world #WorldWeShape

It is an honor to help

Facebook

in shaping the Facebook Certified Community Manager Program along with other phenomenal community leaders.

Facebook Community Summit - Sub-Saharan Africa, Speaker: Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor, The Future of Communities #FCS2020

I'm glad to see the ‘Book’s platform creating more opportunities for its users. This certification recognizes and measures comprehension and strategic application of best practices and standards for online community management.

Facebook Certified Community Managers Program

I’m doubly excited that our founding cohort, a little over a hundred amazing community managers across the world, are officially Facebook Certified Community Managers. #GamorLegacy

To learn more about Facebook Blueprint certification check it out here.

When I came to the United States I was taken back two class grades in High School. I watched as my peers, the class of 2007, graduate from college as I waded through my last two years of undergrad with a mission: to proudly walk down the stage in the presence of my family and peers during commencement.

Photo credit: Edson Andre

Graduation for me was an incredibly emotional experience. My mother and I cried together as we were reminded of the trials and tribulations that got me, the first boy among 3 girls, through college. My journey from Ghana, West Africa, through Alexandria, Virginia and finally on the University of Florida stage as a Gator graduate was tumultuous. I literally felt a huge weight of responsibility being lifted off my shoulders as I strolled past Bernie Machen as my name was called at the O'dome.

What I remember from commencement 2009 is that regardless of the challenges behind me, I believed I could strive and succeed with the help of God and my family. And regardless of the challenges ahead, be it a challenging economy, I took that same resilience to propel me forward through my endeavors over the past 3 years. To the class of 2012, don't shy away from the challenge. The world is ever-evolving and the lessons from undergrad should come in handy. Stay the course, pursue your dreams and passions with hard work and consistency. Congrats to the class of 2012. To many more successes in every one of your endeavors.
- itp85.

I really like the 'M' word: matriculation. To me, it gives the impression one has accomplished more than just the required courses and a piece of paper with the college dean's signature. Matriculation is Major lol, at least in my head it is...and thinking back to my own college graduation last year, it is indeed a momentous occasion. Especially for us (say I) first generation folks. So witnessing my friends graduate was equally fantastic and looking back I can appreciate and understand the elation they and their family shared!

In the first picture, Cathy....aka Be Chillin' is a wonderful young lady and my memories of her are quite fond, as she's always been kind to share encouraging words regardless of what I set my mind too. The others in the picture Sherine, Christine & Franny (in the 4th) are just as fabulous!

Phil's in the next picture and we shared many a day on the basketball courts at SouthWest Rec, he more often than I, and in my opinion could have been a walk-on for Billy Donovan's team now.

Christina (3rd picture) was my muse early junior year lol. She started Poets Inc. with another good friend Ashley, and together they constantly remind me to never lose sight of the power of words and expression.

Whew, this post is a little longer than usual, but I'd wanted to take a minute and congratulate the class of 2010. To quote my mentor and role model Nelson Mandiba Mandela: "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."
Go change the world!

I got the chance to go back to Gainesville to support Black Gator Grads in honoring a longtime faculty member and activist, during her years as a student and as a resident of Gainesville, Dr. Betty Fullwood.
She's finally retiring as as faculty member- and my fondest memories aren't from when we called her Dr. Dowdell during the minority program for freshmem, PAACT, but rather from talking to her one-on-one for a photo project for Blacklisted! I left her office with a sense of warmth, intelligence and selflessness that will be missed in her absence.