FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nassau County Executive and Republican gubernatorial candidate expresses support for STEMDUP’s vision of closing educational gaps through STEM, Diversity, Unity, and Peace
THE BRONX, NEW YORK — October 16, 2026 — STEMDUP Institute, Inc. announced a significant step forward in its effort to advance educational opportunities across New York State following a public press conference in the Bronx, where Nassau County Executive and Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman expressed support for the Institute’s education initiative.
Held at Loreto Playground, 1100 Morris Park Avenue, the press conference brought together STEMDUP representatives, community advocates, and members of the media to discuss educational innovation, improved student outcomes, and greater access to learning opportunities across New York’s diverse communities.
Organized under the theme “Closing the Educational Gap Across New York State,” the event highlighted STEMDUP’s proposed educational framework, which integrates science, technology, engineering, and mathematics with diversity, unity, and peace.
Blakeman’s public expression of support provides an opportunity for further engagement on how innovative curricula and responsive teaching approaches can help prepare students for academic achievement, economic participation, and responsible citizenship.
Drammeh: Education Must Remain the Ladder to Opportunity
Sheikh Musa Drammeh, a leading advocate for the STEMDUP initiative and chairman of the National Center for Health Equity, described education as fundamental to individual advancement and New York’s continued prosperity.
“Education and education alone is the ladder to the top,” Drammeh said.
He called for an educational approach capable of addressing disparities between affluent and under-resourced communities while equipping young people with the knowledge and skills needed to participate in an increasingly technological and interconnected world.
Drammeh emphasized that New York’s cultural and demographic diversity should be reflected in its educational philosophy.
“New York needs a curriculum that harmonizes our diversity,” he said.
He argued that a comprehensive approach to education should develop scientific and technical competence while promoting unity, peaceful coexistence, creativity, and entrepreneurship.
Drammeh also publicly endorsed Blakeman’s gubernatorial candidacy, arguing that educational policy should be a central consideration in the state’s leadership debate. His remarks included criticism of policies associated with the current state and city administrations and an appeal for voters to prioritize their assessment of candidates’ records, principles, and proposals.
For STEMDUP Institute, the central educational objective is to ensure that students across New York State have meaningful opportunities to learn, innovate, and contribute to their communities.
Blakeman Calls for Innovative Teaching and Stronger STEM Education
In his address, Blakeman said New York’s education system needed to respond more effectively to the different ways children learn.
“We have to be more innovative in the way that we educate our children,” Blakeman said. “Kids learn different ways, and we have to have a test that meets the needs of children who learn in different ways.”
He called for more interactive learning and a stronger emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. He also questioned whether existing assessment methods adequately accommodate students with different learning needs.
Blakeman expressed support for public education, charter schools, and religious schools, arguing that families should have options and that educational approaches should not assume every child learns in the same way.
His remarks reinforced several issues central to STEMDUP’s educational vision: innovation in teaching, stronger STEM preparation, and greater attention to individual students’ needs.
During the question-and-answer session, a reporter raised concerns about the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test, commonly known as the SHSAT, and its implications for Black and Latino students seeking admission to New York City’s selective public high schools.
Blakeman acknowledged competing arguments surrounding the examination. He said testing remained important but maintained that assessments should better reflect how students learn. He did not announce a specific policy change to the SHSAT during the event.
The discussion highlighted the importance of considering access and educational equity alongside curriculum innovation.
STEMDUP: Connecting Technical Knowledge With Diversity, Unity, and Peace
STEMDUP stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Diversity, Unity, and Peace.
The Institute’s approach seeks to connect academic and technical learning with the social understanding and collaborative skills needed in a diverse society.
The proposed framework recognizes that education must prepare students not only to understand scientific principles and use emerging technologies but also to work across differences, solve problems, and contribute constructively to their communities.
STEMDUP believes educational innovation should be accompanied by practical attention to classroom implementation, teacher preparation, learning resources, and access for students in communities with different levels of educational provision.
The Institute views the Bronx, with its diverse population and wide-ranging educational needs, as an important setting for conversations about how New York can strengthen educational opportunities.
The press conference did not announce formal statewide adoption of the STEMDUP curriculum or a specific public funding commitment. Further development of the initiative would require engagement with relevant educational stakeholders and clarity regarding implementation, resources, and evaluation.
Eunice Ukwuani Welcomes Cross-Party Support for Education
Eunice Ukwuani, Esq., a County Committee member for District 58 in Brooklyn, described Blakeman’s support for STEMDUP as an encouraging development.
“I was incredibly honored to have a Republican candidate embrace our STEMDUP Education Project,” Ukwuani said in an exclusive interview.
She welcomed the opportunity to bring attention to an educational initiative through engagement with a candidate from outside her own political affiliation.
“We must look beyond our party lines and start supporting and campaigning for leaders who are ready and willing to do the right thing for the American people,” she said. “At the end of the day, it is all about the people, not our political parties.”
Ukwuani described the event as a significant moment for the initiative and reaffirmed her support for Blakeman’s gubernatorial campaign.
Her comments underscored the potential for educational initiatives to create opportunities for dialogue across political and community lines, even when participants hold different views on other public policy issues.
A Call for Continued Engagement
STEMDUP Institute welcomes the public discussion generated by the Bronx press conference and views Blakeman’s expression of support as an opportunity to advance conversations about curriculum innovation and educational opportunities across New York State.
The Institute believes a strong educational system should equip young people with scientific and technological knowledge while cultivating diversity, unity, peace, creativity, and a commitment to community development.
STEMDUP will continue to promote its educational vision and encourage constructive engagement among educators, families, community organizations, policymakers, and other stakeholders interested in improving learning opportunities for New York’s children.
The Institute’s long-term objective is to help build an educational environment in which students’ opportunities are not limited by their neighborhoods, family circumstances, or differences in learning needs.
Here’s the take-home: Educational opportunity deserves sustained attention, broad participation, and practical action.
About STEMDUP Institute, Inc.
STEMDUP Institute promotes an educational framework centered on Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Diversity, Unity, and Peace. Its mission is to advance learning, innovation, social cohesion, and educational opportunities through approaches designed to prepare young people for a changing world.
Media Contact
Mutiu Olawuyi
Director of Research, Media and Curriculum Development
STEMDUP Institute, New York
Email: molawuyi@stemdup.org