Nadia Sasso ’14G, who delivered the 2024 commencement address at her undergraduate alma mater Bucknell University on May 12, takes a moment to focus on the key phrases that drive her and how each has applied to her life.
Stand in Your Own Space
Sasso was a member of the Washington, D.C., Posse (Posse D.C.) that came to Bucknell. It invigorated her to be a voice on campus and be the change she wished to see in that world. She is solution oriented and worked to create experiences for people like her on campus, like the Step Show, which integrated song, storytelling, and dance and became a cultural staple that remains in place today. She also worked to build stronger bonds and greater collaboration between the Black Student Union and Greek community.
Celebrate Yourself
As Sasso grew up in D.C., she had no idea that she wasn’t middle class. She always subscribed to the idea of abundance: She and her family had what they needed, presented their best, and found ways to flourish. Her eyes were opened when she participated in a “privilege walk,” an exercise that illuminates the range, depth, and intricacies of privilege in our culture. At the end of the exercise, she was at the back while others had moved far ahead of her. She remembers calling her mother to better understand and accept the hardships her parents shielded her from. It became a turning point for Sasso to celebrate how prepared she was to persevere no matter the circumstances and how worldly her parents made her.
Find Your Superpowers
When she stumbled upon filmmaking at Lehigh, Sasso discovered a power that she knew she needed to harness. It came at the perfect time. She’d been home for a funeral and spoke with family members about her master’s thesis topic: being too African to be American and too American to be African. As she listened, she knew others needed to see, hear, and feel what they discussed. A documentary was born. The film entitled Am I, which became her thesis, explores young African women living in America and West Africa who identify bi-culturally as they discuss race, complexion, gender, and heritage. The film has gone on to several festivals and taken her across the world. The skills, tools, and techniques used in documentary filmmaking now seem to be baked into every project she touches.
Empower Others
Sasso was in a Ph.D. program in Africana studies at Cornell when she took custody of her four-year-old niece. It wasn’t easy in several ways — as a young, single woman and as a person of color in a small town in upstate New York. But Sasso is dedicated to family. More so, she is dedicated to helping others. As a consultant, she is helping marketers, storytellers, corporate partners, and government agencies to create safe spaces for people of color by taking different approaches and learning how to speak to a variety of audiences.
The Best Is Yet To Come
Sasso knows that great things lie ahead personally and professionally. She soon will be married. As part of that milestone in life, she and her bridal party will travel to Ghana for fun and discovery. It will allow Sasso and her sisters to replenish, explore roots, recognize resilience, and balance fun and history. She plans to turn the trip into a documentary, using the moment as an opportunity to focus on an original creative project.
