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Former White House press secretary speaks at Hofstra

Karine Jean-Pierre, who was White House press secretary under President Joe Biden, spoke to hundreds of college and high school students on Thursday at Hofstra University.

Cecilia Dowd

Feb 12, 2026, 10:22 PM

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Karine Jean-Pierre, who lived in Hempstead for part of her childhood, urged students to “stay curious, stay engaged and stay in the race.”

Jean-Pierre was the first Black person to be White House press secretary as well as the first openly gay person to hold that role.

“When you break a glass ceiling, you break it for so many people, not just for you, and the power of people seeing you in that role matters," she told students.

Jean-Pierre is now registered as an independent and shares her story in her recent memoir: "Independent: A Look Inside a Broken White House Outside the Party Lines."

She signed copies of her book at the Hofstra event.

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