Community leaders inspire WPHS students during Black History Month panel

White Plains High School students learned valuable life lessons Wednesday morning from a Black History Month Community Leaders Panel made up of six trailblazers from a variety of fields, including law enforcement, mental health and business.

The event, introduced by officers of the Black Awareness Club at WPHS, was framed as a living celebration that honored “the strength, brilliance and resilience that define Black history — not just in the past, but in the leaders who continue to shape our community right now.”

The panelists at the Media Center were:

• Kasei Robinson-Austin – Senior VP in Strategy and Operations at Bank of America; WPHS alumna and Penn State finance graduate who mentors students and serves in leadership with the New York Junior League.
• Sgt. Christina Brown – Sergeant with the White Plains Police Department and 2005 WPHS graduate; former School Resource Officer promoted to detective in 2020.
• Wade Hardy – Commissioner of the White Plains Department of Public Safety; former deputy chief criminal investigator for the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office and former corporate security leader at Con Edison.
• Dr. Allana Brown – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and doctoral scholar; medical services coordinator at St. Vincent’s Hospital Westchester and professor of psychiatry.
• Brittany Burk – Assistant District Attorney in the Investigations Division of the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, assigned to the Hate Crimes Unit; graduate of Northeastern University School of Law.
• Drew Thornton – Entrepreneur and owner of The Private Shop in White Plains, a buy-sell-trade boutique specializing in high-end sneakers, streetwear and hype apparel.

Dr. Brown, spoke about the power of having a model to follow.

“I realized not everyone has that,” she said. “But identify someone you can model after — someone who can help you streamline your goals and give you good advice.”

For Sgt. Brown, that model was sitting right beside her.

“Dr. Brown here is my sister,” the sergeant told students, smiling. “Watching her throughout the years shaped my career and shaped how I choose to be as a leader.”

Both sisters, graduates of WPHS, reflected the power of shared roots and shared purpose — one serving in law enforcement, the other leading in mental health and healthcare integration at St. Vincent’s Hospital Westchester while completing her PhD research.

Mr. Hardy, recently appointed commissioner of the White Plains Department of Public Safety, spoke about growing up in Yonkers with a single mother who instilled in him the importance of seeing value in everyone.

“She taught me how to see the good in people,” he said. “And I wanted to do the right thing for all people.”

His career began when he took the White Plains police exam at his mother’s urging, a decision he called “the best move I ever made.”

Today, he leads the very department where he once served as a young cop, determined to ensure that the challenges he faced early in his career would not define the culture for the next generation.

For some panelists, the journey was linear. For others, it evolved.

Mr. Thornton, entrepreneur and owner of The Private Shop, said he always envisioned himself building a sneaker and streetwear business.

“I’ve been doing this since high school,” he said. “I knew I wanted my own store.”

Yet even with clarity of vision, obstacles emerged, such as landlords questioning him and being underestimated because of his age.

“As long as you stick to it, you will be taken seriously,” he told students.

Ms. Burk always knew she wanted to be a lawyer, but not necessarily a prosecutor.

“I wanted to be an entertainment attorney,” she admitted. “But I found that I love interacting with the community and helping people on a day-to-day basis.”

In her current role, she often meets victims on the worst days of their lives. Representation, she emphasized, matters deeply in those moments.

“It’s important that they feel they can trust me,” she said. “My perspective as a Black woman shapes how I approach decisions that impact not just individuals, but families.”

Ms. Robinson-Austin described herself as shy and introverted, but determined.
“I had no idea what I wanted to do in high school,” she said. “So I built a personal board of directors — mentors who highlighted what they saw in me.”

She chose finance at Penn State because it was challenging. When her first role on Wall Street wasn’t fulfilling, she persevered and pivoted. Today, she mentors students and serves in leadership with the New York Junior League, reminding students to remain adaptable.

“I’m a lifelong learner,” she said. “Keep your options open.”

The panelists spoke candidly about barriers they encountered because of race, age or gender.

Mr. Hardy recalled painful moments early in his policing career that reinforced the need for systemic change.

“One of the reasons I worked to move up,” he explained, “was to make sure those things don’t happen anymore.”

Sgt. Brown shared how being young, female and petite led some to underestimate her.

“People look at me like, ‘What’s this short little thing going to do?’” she said with a grin. “But I pack a heavy punch.”

Her advice: work hard and prove them wrong.

Dr. Brown described a patient who once expressed surprise at her appearance.
“You’ve got to know who you are,” she said. “Stand firm. Stay focused.”

Ms. Burk echoed that sentiment, describing times when people assumed she was an intern rather than a prosecutor.

“You navigate it,” she said. “You learn. You gain perspective.”

The message was clear: identity may present obstacles but it also brings power, empathy and perspective.

The event itself was a testament to student leadership.

Jordan Adeniyi, president of the Black Awareness Club, said the panel was months in the making.

“We wanted to bring in community leaders,” she said. “And I’ve noticed a consistency — youth can be seen as a limitation, but they all showed how they overcame that.”

Madison Steptoe, vice president of the club, said the takeaway was simple but powerful:

“Never give up,” she said. “Don’t stop believing in yourself. Just keep pushing.”

Even ninth-grader Samuel Mejia, who stepped in at the last minute to help present, walked away inspired.

“The steps you make and persevering is what drives you all the way,” he said.
When asked what advice they would give their high school selves, the answers were direct and heartfelt.

“Press on,” Dr. Brown said. “Fear is OK but don’t let it stop you.”

“Confidence comes from achievement,” Ms. Robinson-Austin told students. “Set goals. Achieve them. Confidence will follow.”

“Use your voice,” Sgt. Brown urged. “Everyone has a story to tell.”

The panelists demonstrated that Black history is not confined to textbooks or distant milestones. It lives in boardrooms and courtrooms, hospitals and police departments, storefronts and classrooms.