An NYC college graduate caused a stir after she had a public freakout over a microphone. Kadia Iman, a digital creator, forced the microphone out of a volunteer’s hand and dropped the mic. Iman claims that the volunteer holding the microphone for students to announce their names was racist and forced black students to hurry along rather than say their two cents. The school has called Iman’s actions unacceptable and inappropriate, but Iman remains convinced of her innocence and believes she can do no wrong.
NEW YORK POST: NYC college slams graduate who went viral for mic-drop tantrum
By Yaron Steinbuch; June 26, 2023
The black graduate of a Queens community college who went viral for grabbing a microphone from a white educator over a name snub has been slammed by her school — which called her actions “unacceptable.”
LaGuardia Community College said it is looking into the incident involving digital creator Kadia Iman, who tussled with the unnamed educator at the June 21 commencement ceremony.
“An incident occurred involving one graduate who demonstrated their frustration during the student procession for not being able to hold the microphone while they announced their name,” Manny Romero, the school’s chief spokesman, told The Post in an email Monday.
“As a process for keeping the ceremony running in an orderly manner, students are given the opportunity to say their name while a volunteer holds the microphone. None of the students are allowed to hold the microphone to avoid any delay of the student procession and the ceremony,” Romero continued.
He criticized Iman for her “disruptive and inappropriate behavior,” which he said affected the “celebration for graduates and guests.”
“Her mistreatment of a staff volunteer was unacceptable. We are currently reviewing the incident to gain a better understanding of what occurred and what we might do in the future to prevent something like this from happening again,” Romero said.
Last week, Iman posted video on TikTok of her wrestling the microphone out of the hands of the white woman on the campus of Queens College, where the ceremony took place.
“I want the mic! Let go! You didn’t let me get my moment,” Iman, wearing a pink-topped cap and black gown, shouted before announcing her name to the stunned onlookers. ”I’m graduating today. I don’t like how you snatched the mic out of my hand, so today is going to be all about me!”
She then dropped the mic and walked off in a huff.
Iman later defended her actions in a defiant post in which she stated that she is not the “bad guy.”
“To everyone saying I should be embarrassed or I’ll never get a job … I’m a black woman in America,” Iman wrote. “I am always in the right … u will not gaslight me into thinking I’m the bad guy. I did it for girls that look like me. Love u.”
In a follow-up video to her initial rant, she explained why she decided to grab the microphone.
“Basically, what happened was I was walking on and we had to say our names before we get on the stage,” she said. “So I was saying my name and she literally — my name is long, obviously, I have like three syllables in my name.
“So, I didn’t even get to finish saying my name, and then the people that went before me, they all got to say their name, their major, and even extras,” Iman said. “Me and another girl noticed that she was pulling the mic down super fast for some black people — I don’t want to be that person, so I just couldn’t let her … I just couldn’t let that happen.”
She added: “I just feel like I worked so hard to graduate and went through so much s–t to graduate that I just felt like I had to reclaim my moment. I’m sorry.”
The Post’s efforts to reach the graduate have been unsuccessful.
In his message, Romero wrote: “At LaGuardia, we take pride in providing our students with the academic, emotional, and developmental support they need to be successful inside and outside of the classroom. We also encourage a safe and respectful learning and working environment for our students, faculty, and staff.”
Photo: J.C. Rice