As we approach the Juneteenth holiday on June 19, MassLive asked readers and staff to identify people who are emerging Black leaders throughout the state, working to make a difference in their own area of interest, be it politics, education, business or the arts.
These are people our readers have identified as inspirational, who may be doing good acts for their communities. They are being recognized for their accomplishments, leadership and commitment to inspire change.
Aby Haile is the president of Massachusetts of Association of Student Councils. (Hoang ‘Leon’ Nguyen / The Republican)
Abyssinia (Aby) Haile
Age: 17
Community: Wilbraham
Her story: Abyssinia Haile is making history as she becomes the first Black female student to become state president of the Massachusetts Association of Student Council (MASC).
Haile will be serving as the Massachusetts Association of Student Council (MASC) state president for the 2023-2024 school year. She’s the first Western Massachusetts student to have the honor since 2015, and is the first time a Black female student has ever assumed the position.
The junior at Minnechaug Regional High School began by participating on her school’s student council board for the past three years. She was elected to the Western Massachusetts Association of Student Councils (WMASC) board as vice-president her sophomore year.
“However, it was the inequities I saw in terms of access to student council opportunity for people living in Western Massachusetts that inspired me to run for the position of State President, hoping to increase the breadth and spread of representation to all students in Massachusetts,” she said.
She is responsible for leading the MASC executive board, including planning leadership summits and workshop opportunities for student council delegates across the state. One event is the yearly President’s Dinner in Franklin, where the MASC invites student council presidents from more than 90 schools throughout the state for a formal dinner reception to begin the school year. They also organize a yearly Bocce tournament for students with special needs through Special Olympics of Massachusetts.
But that’s not all.
She also represents Massachusetts on the National Association of Student Council (NatStuCo).
In her words: “There are so many inequities I witness on a daily basis in my school and throughout my own school district, and it pains me to go on with my life without doing anything or not speaking up. And there are people that I know are either scared or don’t have the resources to make their voices heard. So it’s kind of become an intrinsic duty for myself to utilize the privileges I have of being able to attend a school that offers me so many opportunities to amplify my own voice, thoughts, ideas, and concerns and use that to uplift and showcase what others who don’t have the same access to opportunities have to say. If you demonstrate this opportunity, I truly believe you have what it takes to be the best possible student leader for our state and greater community.”
Each day, we will introduce more of Massachusetts’ emerging Black leaders, and we’re always open to hear about more inspiring people. If you’d like to suggest someone else who should be recognized, please fill out this form.
