First-Gen College Student’s Viral Celebration After Passing the Bar is Absolute Joy
January 30, 2025
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Sponsored by Fairmont Mayakoba | Get ready to burst into happy tears after seeing this young woman’s family celebrate her passing the bar exam!
Civil rights lawyer Hadiyah Cummings from Conway, Arkansas, stopped by “The Jennifer Hudson Show” to discuss her video that recently went viral.
In the video, the 25-year-old is sitting in front of her computer, surrounded by a room full of family members nervously waiting in anticipation for her to find out if she passed the bar exam.
When Hadiyah begins screaming, they know it’s good news! The whole family breaks out in cheers and cries as they celebrate Hadiyah’s joyous achievement.
“It felt like a war cry,” she told Jennifer Hudson on the show of her happily hysterical reaction in the video. “We did it!”
Hadiyah lost her mother just a week before graduating from Yale Law School in May 2024. She explained that her emotions were high in the video because she deeply missed her mom in that moment and was so thankful to have her family there supporting her.
“She is the strongest person I’ve ever known,” she told JHud of her mother, who raised her and her three siblings by herself while facing over 20 evictions. She described her mother as “someone who cheered so loud that I never noticed who wasn’t cheering.”
Growing up in a low socio-economic household as a first-generation college student, passing the bar was a significant milestone for Hadiyah. She is incredibly proud to be the first lawyer in her family and currently practices civil law in Arkansas.
“Who am I not to use my skills, use my lived experience to pour that into my community?” she told Jennifer about why she was interested in civil law.
Hadiyah recently founded and runs Lawyher, a nonprofit that supports women of color pursuing law, as Black women make up only 2% of U.S. attorneys. The organization runs a fellows program designed to provide comprehensive support to aspiring law students.
Passing the bar exam is a lot of work — and Jennifer thought Hadiyah deserved some time to get some well-earned rest and relaxation! Which is why JHud surprised her with a 6-night, all-inclusive vacation to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico!
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Hadiyah and a guest will enjoy a 6-night stay at Fairmont Mayakoba in a Signature Casita room with roundtrip airfare.
Escape to a world of luxury ensconced amid natural beauty at Playa del Carmen’s Fairmont Mayakoba resort. Located in a private gated community, Fairmont Mayakoba is nestled within a tropical rainforest intersected by crystal-clear waterways and fringed by a pristine Caribbean shoreline.
Hadiyah and her plus-one will have access to non-motorized water sports and an on-property boat tour. Resort guests can play 18 holes on the prestigious El Camaleon golf course, snorkel beautiful coral reefs, or simply bask poolside in the warm Mexican sun.
Hadiyah’s stay also includes an “Appetite for Luxury” meal plan that includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and beverages.
Book your own dream vacation and check out all there is to offer at Playa del Carmen’s Fairmont Mayakoba resort by visiting their website.
“The Jennifer Hudson Show” airs weekdays. Here’s when to watch in your area.