![UNO Perspective "Leadership" by Destiny Robinson](https://primary.jwwb.nl/public/l/p/l/temp-lkgvadfsudlfowtguqfi/1000003214-high-96t36m.jpg?enable-io=true&enable=upscale&height=70 "UNO Perspective "Leadership" by Destiny Robinson")
I am Destiny Robinson—a first-generation college student and independent leader at UNO. I am also a senior sociology major at The University of New Orleans. My journey to UNO during the Spring 2025 semester was not just a transfer; it was a divine transition into the next chapter of a leadership legacy God began in me back in 2017. For the past 9 years, God blessed me with an 9 year leadership legacy from 2017 to 2026 from Kipp Renaissance High School, Xavier University of Louisiana and The University of New Orleans, in which I have served, inspired, and uplifted others—not for recognition, but because I was called to do so. At UNO, that calling deepened. I’ve been able to grow as a leader through the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership, through Privateer Passage, and through my continued membership in the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society.
UNO History by Destiny Robinson
The University of New Orleans was established in 1956 as Louisiana State University in New Orleans (LSUNO) by the Louisiana Legislature to provide public higher education for the city’s families. When it opened its doors in September 1958 to around 1,200 students, it became the first fully racially integrated public university in the South—a bold and historic step forward. Led by Homer L. Hitt, the university’s founder and first chancellor, and supported by visionary faculty, staff, and administrators, UNO stood as a symbol of progress and access in a time of segregation. That founding legacy continues to inspire students like me—first-generation leaders who carry the hopes of our ancestors, the prayers of our families, and the responsibility to lead with purpose, integrity, and truth.
I transferred to UNO during the Spring 2025 semester. For the past 8 years—since 2017—God has led me on a leadership journey that has shaped my identity and calling. From high school to Xavier University of Louisiana, and now at UNO, I’ve remained faithful to the path He placed before me: to serve with purpose, lead with humility, and uplift others with truth and love. My arrival at UNO was more than academic—it was spiritual. It was another step in the leadership legacy God blessed me to carry.
The UNO’s Office of Student Involvement and Leadership created space for that legacy to grow. Through Privateer Passage, I completed several leadership development badges, including Navigator: Accurate Self-Knowledge, Global Citizenship, Mental Health and Wellness, and Conscientious Decision-Making, Crew: Accurate Self-Knowledge and Mental Health and Wellness and Launchpad Leader. These experiences reminded me that God equips those He calls. In April 2025, I was nominated for the Silent Student Inspiration Award and honored at the 41st Annual Student Leadership Recognition Ceremony. That moment wasn’t about recognition—it was about confirmation. It confirmed what God had already spoken to me: that every step of obedience, every “yes” to Him, was preparing me to lead with grace and boldness.
During that same semester, Ellipsis, UNO’s literary journal, accepted two of my poems: “Honoring Our Ancestors” and “Why Does Our Beauty Matter?”. These works reflect the strength, identity, and cultural pride of Black people. Through poetry, I continue using my voice to glorify God, honor my roots within leadership and inspiring the youths and speak truth to power.
Why Does Our Beauty Matter
Beauty is more than skin deep
It is the light that shines from within
The kindness that radiates from your heart
The wisdom that guides your actions
The joy that fills your soul
Beauty is not a competition
It is not something to be judged or compared
It is a gift that we all possess
A reflection of our uniqueness and diversity
A celebration of our humanity
Beauty is not a fleeting thing
It does not fade with age or time
It is a quality that grows and evolves
A manifestation of our inner strength and grace
A legacy that we leave behind
Beauty is not just what we see with our eyes
It's also what we feel with our hearts
But we often judge by the surface
And miss the essence that lies within
Beauty is not just what we hear with our ears
It's also what we speak with our words
But we often use them to hurt or lie
And miss the power that they hold
Beauty is not just what we touch with our hands
It's also what we create with our minds
But we often waste our talents or gifts
And miss the potential that we have
Honoring Our Ancestors
Our ancestors are the roots of our tree
The source of our strength, our identity
They endured the hardships, the trials, the pain
They sacrificed, they fought, they gained
They left us a legacy of wisdom and grace
Of culture, of faith, of values, of place
They taught us to honor, to respect, to love
To cherish, to serve, to rise above
We are the branches of our tree
The carriers of our history
We have the duty, the privilege, the role
To preserve, to share, to enrich, to uphold
We live our legacy by following their example
By being brave, by being kind, by being humble
By standing up for what is right
We live our legacy by passing it on
We honor our ancestors who came before us
They gave us life, wisdom, and courage
We remember their stories, struggles, and joys
They are a part of us, and we are a part of them
We honor our ancestors who watch over us
They guide, protect us, and inspire us
We seek their blessings, advice, and love
They are with us, and we are with them
I also continued my membership in the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society (O∆K), a lifetime honor that began at Xavier in 2024 and now continues at UNO. In Spring 2025, I completed 25 leadership courses through the Charlie Life and Leadership Academy, earning 28 badges in areas like Values-Based Leadership, Legacy, Vision, Cultivating Trust, and Resilience. O∆K was founded in 1914 and now has over 287 active chapters and more than 350,000 lifetime members. Its mission—to honor and connect collaborative and inclusive leaders—perfectly reflects the leadership journey God called me to walk. For me, leadership is sacred. It is more than influence—it’s obedience to divine purpose. Most UNO students, like me, are the first in their families to attend college. We carry not only books but prayers. We walk these campuses with the hope of our ancestors and the courage of our faith. Our leadership is not just for us—it’s for the future.
As UNO students, we are destined to be bold leaders and powerful examples for the generations coming after us. My 8-year leadership legacy—from 2017 to the present—is not about recognition, but about revelation. It is the result of staying obedient to God’s calling and trusting His plan, even when the path wasn’t easy. Leadership—especially within Christ—requires patience, humility, obedience, and a heart surrendered to His will. True leadership is about putting God first, honoring the foundation, and serving with purpose. Just as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—a preacher, prophet, and civil rights activist—followed divine purpose over public opinion, I have learned to follow God’s voice above the noise of the world. His legacy still roars despite the wickedness we face—and now, I carry that roar forward through faith, service, and truth. To all future Privateers and young leaders be bold, be discerning, and let God lead you. He’ll bless you beyond measure—and do the impossible through you for generations to come.
Honoring Our Ancestors by Destiny Robinson
Honoring Our Ancestors
Our ancestors are the roots of our tree
The source of our strength, our identity
They endured the hardships, the trials, the pain
They sacrificed, they fought, they gained
They left us a legacy of wisdom and grace
Of culture, of faith, of values, of place
They taught us to honor, to respect, to love
To cherish, to serve, to rise above
We are the branches of our tree
The carriers of our history
We have the duty, the privilege, the role
To preserve, to share, to enrich, to uphold
We live our legacy by following their example
By being brave, by being kind, by being humble
By standing up for what is right
We live our legacy by passing it on
We honor our ancestors who came before us
They gave us life, wisdom, and courage
We remember their stories, struggles, and joys
They are a part of us, and we are a part of them
We honor our ancestors who watch over us
They guide, protect us, and inspire us
We seek their blessings, advice, and love
They are with us, and we are with them
-Destiny Robinson
Recommended Citation
Robinson, Destiny (2025) "Honoring Our Ancestors," Ellipsis: A Journal of Art, Ideas, and Literature: Vol.
50, Article 21.
DOI: 10.46428/ejail.50.21
Available at: https://scholarworks.uno.edu/ellipsis/vol50/iss1/21
This Poetry is brought to you for free and open access by the Division of Language and Literature at
ScholarWorks@UNO. It has been accepted for inclusion in Ellipsis: A Journal of Art, Ideas, and Literature by an
authorized editor of ScholarWorks@UNO. For more information, please contact scholarworks@uno.edu.
My first Christian book "Testify and Walk"
This week, God reminded me of that very line and led me to continue building upon my eight-year leadership legacy—inspiring the youth and pressing forward with the same determination of faith and excellence. And later in the week, God confirmed His word with a blessing: the news that both my poetry, Honoring Our Ancestors and Why Does Our Beauty Matter, were officially published in Ellipsis: A Journal of Art, Ideas, and Literature, Volume 50 (2025) by the University of New Orleans. That wasn’t by chance—it was God-inspired, His Way of saying that the testimony He placed in me must continue to be shared.
When I look at the lives of those before us, I see the same God-inspired strength. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stood tall and declared in his “I Have a Dream” speech that justice, righteousness, and love would prevail—not because of human will alone, but because of God’s Promise. And Mamie Till Mobley, after the brutal murder of her fourteen-year-old son, Emmett Till, could have turned to silence and bitterness. Instead, she testified. She showed the world what hate had done, and yet, through forgiveness, she lifted God’s standard of righteousness.
Both of them were led by God’s hand, and their obedience changed history.
And here’s the truth: we all can do this. Each of us can live with that same courage, that same faith, and that exact obedience. Their example is not just a story from the past—it is a message to all of us about saving souls, continuing the purpose God has set before us, and carrying forward the legacy He entrusted into our hands. Just as my ancestors, God has given me a greater opportunity to carry on a legacy of faith, justice, and love. My eight-year leadership legacy is only one part of that bigger story, rooted in God’s call to inspire the youth, to serve, and to walk faithfully in His light. That is the heart behind this poem—because testimony is not only spoken, it is lived. This is “Testify and Walk”.
Ressurection Missionary Baptist Church Legacy" by Destiny Robinson
To Pastor Smith and RMBC family
Good morning, this is Destiny. One of the main mistakes in the world and why there are so many problems is that there is a neglect in following the right foundation, which is God’s foundation within all aspects God have shown us and with historical plaques snapshoting, but not enough emphasis why the Historical plaque is there and part of God's foundation. Under God’s direction, I created the historical plaque, “Resurrection Missionary Baptist Church Legacy,” to honor the 28 years of faith, obedience, and sacrifice that built this foundation. While many pass by historical plaques in buildings or universities without a second thought, God revealed to me that we must emphasize the deeper lessons and the prayers of our ancestors that these markers carry. We are called to do more than just read church history; we must acknowledge, thank God, and maintain a high dedication to fulfilling His purpose within the very walls He has blessed us with. This plaque stands as a lasting testament to God’s faithfulness, proving that when we honor our roots and remain committed to His calling, He truly makes the impossible possible.
Here is the historical plaque God led me to make for Resurrection Missionary Baptist Church highlighting the legacy within RMBC that God created
To access it click the link and click the 3 lines at the top and "Resurrection Missionary Baptist Church Legacy” by Destiny Robinson and then click on the blue line link “Resurrection Missionary Baptist Church Historical Plaque” by Destiny Robinson on your phone.
On computer and laptop click on "Resurrection Missionary Baptist Church Legacy” by Destiny Robinson
