Tom Joyner Offers Rachel Jeantel Full Scholarship To HBC Of Her Choice

Radio host Tom Joyner was moved by Rachel Jeantel’s raw, real testimony and subsequent interview about the Trayvon Martin trial last night, and in response, he offered the teen a very large hand up on his show this morning.

Tom Joyner, like many viewers, found Rachel Jeantel to be strong, sharp, and smarter than many had given her credit for — especially in the wake of the interview that had just preceded her on Piers Morgan. Before Jeantel sat down with Morgan, the woman known only as Juror B37 appeared on AC360, telling Anderson Cooper she felt sorry for the black teenager, feeling Jeantel was obviously embarrassed about who she was in the courtroom. (There was no evidence to suggest Jeantel felt the way B37 perceived her to feel, or be.)

Joyner expressed his feelings to Jeantel this morning, recapping his generous offer on Facebook. To a giggling Jeantel, who was finally getting some kudos after she was horribly torn to bits in the media, Joyner offered not only college tuition but assistance for her to graduate:

If you want to graduate from high school, and go to an HBCU [Historically Black College or University], even if it’s not in Florida but especially Florida, like Florida Memorial, Edward Waters or FAMU, if you want to do that, I want to help you do that. I will help you get tutors to get you out of high school, tutors to help you pass the SAT and I will give you a full ride scholarship to any HBCU you’d like.

While Juror B37 probably didn’t think her words would help Rachel Jeantel, it is likely this statement in part inspired Joyner, heavy with misplaced pity and projection as they were:

… I felt very sorry for her. She didn’t want to be there… I think she felt inadequate toward everyone because of her education and her communications skills. I just felt sadness for her.

In response to Tom Joyner’s offer, Rachel Jeantel simply said “thank you.”