Syracuse Scholar Awarded Ubben Posse Fellowship, Builds Diversity in Multimedia
Syracuse University Posse Scholar David Anthony Barbier Jr. has been recognized as a 2021 Jeff Ubben Posse Fellow. Paired with AMC Networks CEO Josh Sapan, David spent this summer shadowing the top media executive.
The Jeff Ubben Posse Fellows program grants each recipient an opportunity to work closely with an industry leader and includes a $10,000 stipend. Ubben Fellows are leaders in their communities who have demonstrated academic excellence as Posse Scholars.
David, a junior, is an avid lover of international travel and film, and has already selected a dual major in TV, radio & film and international relations at Syracuse.
Growing up in Miami with Cuban and Haitian parents, David says frequent childhood trips to the Caribbean were formational experiences for him, piquing his global curiosity. In 2019, he had the opportunity to travel through Bali, Indonesia and Ghana thanks to a Nyha Fellowship, which supports young leaders in international exploration. While in Bali, David created a YouTube channel, which he uses to bring people together in multicultural spaces.
“I would not be where I am without Posse.”
David remembers his own perspective watching television as a child, noticing the lack of diversity. That lens was a motivating factor last summer when he started a talk show, “Shades of Cuse,” which highlights Syracuse alumni from marginalized backgrounds.
On campus, David is a participant in the OrangeSeeds leadership program, volunteering with organizations that support youth and people experiencing homelessness. He also volunteers with Men of Color, a student group that operates through the office of multicultural affairs.
David says that Posse has made him aware of how he takes up space in the world, and how he creates space for others.
“I would not be where I am without Posse,” he says. “I feel so privileged and blessed to be surrounded by people who elevate themselves and push me to be better. Male privilege is real, and I acknowledged that for the first time in Posse, and I am always thinking about how we are giving everyone a voice, especially in film.”
David is set to graduate in 2023, and already aspires to move to Los Angeles to begin a career as a screenwriter, hoping to build experiences on set and to hone his craft as an actor. He says his life goal is to diversify the people we see on screens across media, working to make new voices heard.
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Meet the 2021 Jeff Ubben Posse Fellows.
