30th Annual Lyman T. Johnson Awards Honors Two CI Alumni, Student

To kick off Black History Month, the 30th annual Lyman T. Johnson awards ceremony recognized two outstanding College of Communication and Information alumni, Akhira Umar and DeBraun Thomas, and one current student, Aniya Hall.

Each year, the University of Kentucky’s colleges and units select one African American student and one African American alumnus for these awards. Students with academic achievement and the ability to impact the lives of others receive the Lyman T. Johnson Torch Bearer Award. Alumni whose faith, hard work and determination have positively affected the lives of people in the UK community and beyond receive the Lyman T. Johnson Torch of Excellence Award.

These awards were created in honor of Lyman T. Johnson, the catalyst for integrating UK in 1949. His actions have paved the way for generations of African Americans seeking higher education.

Due to COVID-19, the typical fall 2020 awards ceremony was pushed back and held virtually.

Before graduating in December 2020, Akhira Umar was named the 2020 Lyman T. Johnson Torch Bearer for the College of Communication and Information.

Umar is a journalism graduate from the School of Journalism and Media. She spent most of her undergraduate career working in various positions for the student-led organization Kernel Media. Within the organization, she worked for both the newspaper, the Kentucky Kernel, and the magazine, KRNL Lifestyle + Fashion. She said her favorite stories to write focused on minorities since there wasn’t much diversity in her hometown.

“I’ve always said coming into journalism that I wanted my writing to help make the world a better place,” Umar said. “I think people always say that about the career fields they choose. But to see that people actually think I’m doing that, it’s really reassuring. I’m glad that I’m making people proud.”

Although Umar was honored to receive the award, she admitted to expecting the nomination based on hints from a supportive professor. Kakie Urch, an associate professor in the School, was the one to nominate Umar.

"Akhira Umar's exceptional academic performance and her drive to always master material and surpass expectations is one reason she stands out as a student,” Urch said. “Combine that with the four-year commitment to the Kentucky Kernel and KRNL L+F magazine in roles that have included editor, reporter, copy editor and model and with her brilliant work on contemporary issues in her multimedia classes and you have a student, straight out of Paris, Kentucky, who embodies the future that Lyman T. Johnson sought for all Black Kentucky students at UK."

The School boasts another 2020 Lyman T. Johnson Award recipient: DeBraun Thomas, a 2013 graduate, who received the Torch of Excellence.

Thomas left the San Francisco Bay Area to pursue broadcast journalism at UK. During his undergraduate career, he hosted his own show, the Crunkadelic Funk Show, on WRFL and later brought that show over to his internship with WUKY. WRFL is a 24-hour, non-commercial radio station and a student organization of UK, while WUKY is a National Public Radio and Adult Album Alternative station owned by UK.

Since graduating, Thomas has joined full-time with WUKY where he hosts the Crunkadelic Funk Show, Rock & Roots and other projects. In 2016, he co-founded Take Back Cheapside which led to the 2020 renaming of Cheapside Park to Henry A. Tandy Centennial Park and the removal of two Confederate monuments within the park.

Scoobie Ryan, associate professor and associate director for the School, said she listens to Thomas’ shows every day and has been keeping up with his accomplishments.

“Sometimes when people work quietly and get results, no one notices. I wanted to be sure DeBraun was noticed,” Ryan said of nominating Thomas for the award. “He is a wonderful representative of our School.”

Thomas had “no words” to describe the honor he feels for being chosen for this award among so many decorated alums and after such a troubled racial past at UK. Despite this, he gives this advice for current and future Wildcats:

“Take care of yourself, protect your energy and don't give up,” Thomas said. “Just by existing, you are paving the way for more Black, Brown, Indigenous, POC, LGBTQIA students to go through whichever program they are passionate about. You're giving them an opportunity by breaking down the walls every day and succeeding. No matter what, hold your head up high and move with pride. You belong here. And one day, you can inspire someone else to be great.”

In addition to the two award recipients, the College had another student honored by the Lyman T. Johnson African American Alumni Group. Communication senior Aniya Hall was named one of two recipients of the Lyman T. Johnson Scholarship, which has been awarded to students of color since 2008.

“I feel like I am part of something greater than myself to be awarded alongside my hardworking peers, and [I am] honored to be in a class of award recipients such as this year’s recipients,” Hall said. “I am inspired to finish out my degree and move on to my graduate studies so that I may build a successful career and to hopefully one day join the group of alum that donate to the Lyman T. Johnson scholarship. I am beyond appreciative of the dedication from the Lyman T. Johnson awards committee and their donors because without them, many students like myself would not finish their degrees.”