Meet Emmanuel Ford, Queensborough's 2025 Valedictorian
Sometimes the desire to silence your critics is the greatest motivator.
Just ask Emmanuel Ford, who is graduating from Queensborough Community College with an A.A. in Liberal Arts & Sciences and has been named the 2025 Valedictorian.
“If I could think of two words to describe how I feel about being chosen as Valedictorian, they would be honored and grateful.”
Such an achievement is notable for any student, but it’s particularly noteworthy for Ford because many people in his life didn’t think he would be able to pull it off. Not just being named Valedictorian, mind you — but making it to college at all.
Ford was born blind with cerebral palsy, leaving doctors at the time to conclude that he would die as an infant. He defied expectations and survived, but that only led to him dealing with more naysayers, this time in education.
In high school, not only was he told he “was not ready for college,” but some went so far as to say he was going to “No Where State University.” Once again, he proved his critics wrong and graduated, but that didn’t stop him from encountering similar negative comments at a college preparatory program where one instructor told Ford that college was not recommended for him, and that he wasn’t “college material.”
Little did that instructor know that Ford would soon prove them wrong in spectacular fashion.
But to accomplish such a feat, Emmanuel needed determination, hard work, and the assistance of plenty of tools:
“As a blind person with only light perception, I read and write braille. I use a device called a Braille Note Touch Plus to research the internet, take notes and write my papers. This device can also be paired with the computer. In addition to the Braille Note Touch Plus, I use another device called a Brailliant Display which I pair with my iPhone to read my emails and documents. This allows me to read in Braille, whatever is displayed on the phone screen. Siri and Alexa are also close companions. “
Effort and tools alone wouldn’t suffice — he also needed a supportive environment where people would be willing to make accommodations for him. Queensborough turned out to be such a place.
“When I came to register, the staff in the Admissions office were exceptionally helpful. I met angels like Admissions Coordinator Michelle Gluck and CUNY Office Assistant Macklyn Johnson-Baptiste who made the registration process a breeze. They proactively requested my transcript from my high school and even when it was taking too long to be faxed, they followed up giving me calm assurance that it would come through while I waited. This initial experience made me feel at home and right away, I knew Queensborough was the place for me.”
And not once did Queensborough betray those expectations.
Whether it was working with professors and the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) several weeks in advance to ensure materials for an upcoming class would be available in an accessible format; his statistics course where tactile materials were prepared for Ford to touch, feel, and learn the graphs and data; or his biology class where the professor restructured and tailored the coursework to incorporate touch, taste, and smell so Ford could follow along, everyone went above and beyond to ensure he would feel included and not be left behind.
He was thankful to countless members of the community for their efforts, but he wanted to give an extra shoutout to History professor Dr. James David Nichols who “met me at the door of the classroom, took me by the arm and led me to a seat at the front of the class. He ensured I had a proper desk and chair and allowed me to use my Braille Note device….clicking, clicking, clicking throughout the class while I took notes,” as well as Social Sciences professor Dr. Donald Tricarico who “was so accommodating, he always encouraged me, and I enjoyed every minute of his class. I’m so grateful to him for the knowledge he has given me.”
And why wouldn’t he be?
Thanks to the assistance of Queensborough’s staff and faculty, Ford didn’t just go to a college (a real one!) — he excelled, racking up a myriad of achievements during his time here:
- Served on the Youth Activist Research Collaborative (YARC) Youth Advisory Board
- Attended the ACLU Summer Institute
- Served as Vice President of for the CUNY Coalition for Students (CCSD) with Disabilities
- Sat on the Youth Advisory Board of the ACLU
- Served as President of the Spanish Club (he thanks Dr. Melida Sanchez, Dr. Carolina Chaves-O'Flynn, and the rest of the Modern Languages and Cultures department for helping him become almost fully bilingual)
- Presented to UNICEF to urge world leaders to implement policies on diversity and inclusion
- Been inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society
- Won the Sheena Gillespie Award (English) and Dr. Choong-Shick Hong Memorial Scholarship (Social Sciences)
- Spoke at the Third Annual Sankofa Celebration
Unsurprisingly, these achievements are reflected in his interests outside of the classroom: namely, politics, government, and advocacy work. While he does like watching the news and sports (he’s a big Warriors fans), the lion’s share of his leisure time is spent researching different Supreme Court cases, and keeping up with current events/news coverage — especially those related to history and politics. This interest has even led to a cute ritual between Ford and his mother before meals where she would say, “the gentleman from Queens your time is up with the documentaries, food is ready!” to which he responds by saying, “I yield my time to the next speaker!”
It’s a joke now, of course, but Ford envisions a future where he speaks in a similar manner with colleagues.
“After I leave Queensborough, I plan to pursue a major in Political Science potentially at Queens College because I love CUNY. I would also like to attend Law School and specialize in Civil or Human Rights or Constitutional Law. My career goal is to become a Policy Analyst and an Advocate for People with Disabilities and other Marginalized Groups.”
Now, as he departs, the doubt he once felt has been replaced with pride, and the naysayers with a college full of believers. He proved the critics wrong every step of the way and intends to continue doing so. He is a success story, and it’s one he hopes will inspire others to do the same.
“Let destiny be fulfilled in your life, don’t let anyone tell you that you cannot, especially if you have a disability. Break out of the box you are put in. Pursue your dreams and when you do this, like me, you are paving the way for others to believe in their dreams as well. Tune out the naysayers. Work hard and prove them wrong.”
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