(Credit: Hatfield Township meeting video screenshot/YouTube)
North Penn junior Robel Kassahun is president of the newly-renamed Black Student Union
Before a single agenda item was discussed last Wednesday night, the Hatfield Township Commissioners’ meeting opened with something far more powerful than procedure: perspective.
At the Feb. 26 workshop meeting, members of the North Penn High School Black Student Union stood before township leaders not to protest, not to provoke — but to connect. And in doing so, they stitched together local history, lived experience, and a vision for Hatfield’s future in one deeply personal presentation.
Carmina Taylor, a Wissahickon graduate, community advocate and leader, and founder of a Black Hall of Fame ceremony honoring Black Wissahickon School District alumni, began by grounding the room in Montgomery County’s own complicated past.
(Credit: Hatfield Township meeting video screenshot/YouTube) “This month marks 100 years that they’ve designated as Black History Month,” Taylor said. “It’s really special that we’re here tonight.”
She shared the story of Martin Kilson, a 1948 Ambler High School graduate who became the first Black tenured professor at Harvard University and founded the first African-American studies department at Howard University. In his book "A Black Intellectual’s Odyssey," Kilson recounts growing up in Ambler during an era when Black residents were allowed to visit a county park only once a year.
(Credit: Hatfield Township meeting video screenshot/YouTube) Taylor, a former director of Office of Campus & Community Engagement at Thomas Jefferson University, displayed a historic image of the former Millside pool — now part of Green Lane Park — noting that in the 1940s and 1950s, Black families were permitted access just one day annually under Jim Crow restrictions.
“All they wanted was to have a family picnic at a county park,” she said, describing how residents endured slurs even upon arrival.
(Credit: Hatfield Township meeting video screenshot/YouTube) She also highlighted the Penllyn School, a segregated school that operated from 1923 to 1955 within what is now the Wissahickon School District. Among the archival photos was one that stunned even Taylor: a 1950 National Honor Society photo featuring only two Black students — one of whom was her mother, who also served as senior class president.
“I didn’t even know that was my mom,” Taylor said, reflecting on the discovery. “Look at where we were in 1939 and the ’40s — a segregated public pool.”
(Credit: Hatfield Township meeting video screenshot/YouTube) 
(Credit: Hatfield Township meeting video screenshot/YouTube) Then she turned to the future.
“Tonight is about honoring our roots, strengthening our path, and shaping our future,” she said, introducing Hatfield resident and North Penn junior Robel Kassahun.
Kassahun, president of the newly renamed Black Student Union — formerly the African-American and Allies Club — stepped to the podium with calm confidence. The group recently changed its name, he explained, “in order to extend more to the Black diaspora instead of just African-Americans.”
His message was direct, thoughtful and resolute.
“When we chose the theme ‘Unapologetically Black’ for this year’s showcase, it wasn’t about being loud or political. It was about being honest,” Kassahun said.
“For many of our students, growing up in Hatfield has meant learning how to balance pride with caution. It has meant loving where we live while sometimes wondering if we fully belong.”
He described what the theme meant to him and his peers.
“‘Unapologetically Black’ is our way of saying we are done shrinking ourselves,” he said. “It means not feeling the need to change the way we speak to be accepted. It means not feeling like our hairstyles, our music, or our traditions need to be explained before they are respected.”
But his words were not framed in division. They were an invitation.
“The Black Student Union exists because we love this town,” Kassahun said. “We want to contribute to it. We want to lead in it. We want to serve in it. Our showcase is not about separating ourselves. It’s about inviting everyone into a deeper understanding of who we are.”
(Credit: Hatfield Township meeting video screenshot/YouTube) He acknowledged strained moments in history between Black communities and institutions, but emphasized growth.
“Our generation wants something better. We want respect. We want partnership. And we want to feel safe and seen at the same time,” he said.
Then came the line that would later echo across Hatfield Township’s Facebook page:
“When we say ‘Unapologetically Black,’ we’re not rejecting our town. We are part of Hatfield, and we want to continue building it together.”
He closed with a reminder that empowerment strengthens everyone.
“When Black students feel empowered, the entire town benefits. Confidence turns into leadership. Pride turns into achievement. Belonging turns into investment.”
Commissioner Karla D’Alessio asked Kassahun about his plans after graduation.
“For college, I really like history,” he said. “After that I’m interested in law and politics in general. My dream school is Stanford University.”
Taylor smiled, noting his sister is already attending USC, and added that Kassahun had “personalized his presentation to Hatfield.”
“He is your resident, your constituent,” she told commissioners.
Taylor also expressed interest in working with the board on generational civic engagement initiatives, including a Citizens University program called “Power Plus Character Equals Citizenship,” aimed at bringing residents together across age and experience.
The township’s Facebook page later praised Kassahun, writing, “Hatfield is lucky to have this young man in our town. And we would be honored to build a future together with Robel and his classmates.”
