The Obama Presidential Center opens to the general public on Juneteenth after a celebratory dedication in Chicago with dignitaries. The roughly $850 million project covers both the political and personal realms of the nation’s first Black president.
Meet Zakia Dowdy, the standout 2025 graduate from Frederick Douglass High School in Atlanta, Georgia — one of the most decorated and awarded students in the state! 👏🏽
This young queen showed up to graduation with a massive stack of over 50 honors, awards, cords, sashes, and medals and walked away with more than $1 MILLION in scholarships!
Zakia has been killing it, she’s a Multiple-time A & B Honor Roll and Principal’s List student, Dual Enrollment Scholar who earned college credits while in high school, a early graduate (December), she’s Active in JROTC, Chorus, National Dance Honor Society, Student Athletic Advisory Committee, and multiple leadership roles, a Community advocate and poetry slam participant.
Now she’s heading to Kennesaw State University majoring in Political Science with a minor in Public Relations. She’s already involved with NAACP apprenticeship, KSU Collegiate 100, Mayor’s Ambassador Council, and the Political Science Civic Leadership program.
Her big dream is to become the Governor of Georgia and we have no doubt she’s going to make it happen!
This is what Black excellence and hard work look like. Proud of Zakia and her family for celebrating this moment so beautifully. The sky is truly the limit! Keep shining, Queen! 👏🏽
At the time of recording "Beauty & the Beast" (1991), Celine Dion was actually considered an "up & coming" singer. Disney was concerned she may not have been a "strong enough" pull to do the song alone. They asked the seasoned and well-known R&B star, Peabo Bryson to sing the duet along with Celine. It became a massive hit and it would also win them a Grammy for the song.
Peabo Bryson & Celine Dion truly gave us one of the most magical Disney theme songs of all time with "Beauty & the Beast". Peabo's signature sound and soothing tones will definitely be missed, but never forgotten.