She’s raised over $1 million to support youth’s education
Over 35 years of unwavering dedication, JoAnn Clark has transformed lives, uplifted communities, and inspired countless young people to dream bigger and achieve more.
She founded the Thinking College Early Fair and the Progressive Baptist Church Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Tour that have created a pathway for over 1,000 students to access higher education opportunities they might have never imagined.
Additionally, she has raised over $1 million in scholarship, college tour, and care package (college support) funds. Her efforts remind us that service isn’t just about responding to immediate needs — it’s about creating enduring systems of support that empower future generations.
Through fundraising, coalition-building, and a deep commitment to equity in education, Clark has given young people the tools to rewrite their futures. And her impact doesn’t stop at the programs she’s founded.
Clark’s passion extends to every student she encounters, speaking life into their dreams and encouraging them to see education as an achievable reality. She understands the transformative power of education and the importance of providing young people with both the knowledge of their history and the belief in their potential.
Clark demonstrates that one person’s dedication can ignite a community and inspire hope. Saint Paul’s Harding High School has named their auditorium in her honor.
“As a culture,” she says, “we have had targets on our backs all our lives — our parents and their parents’ lives too,” said Clark. “Now our young people have targets on their backs, too. We must take them off.”
Jasmine McBride welcomes reader responses to jmcbride@spokesman-recorder.com.