Today’s Education Chronicles…
I had three favorite/memorable professors at WSSU…Dr. Soncerey Montgomery Speas encouraged me to write, Dr. Don Kautz was a fair nursing professor who cared about all people and who I recently spoke with because he works with Rev. William Barber’s Poor People’s Campaign, and there’s Dr. Carlton Eversley.
From the day I entered his African American History class, until I saw him on the dance floor with his wife at the NBTF, I could feel his power.
He is one of the reasons I worked on the Ashley Elementary initiative. He is why I am not afraid to have difficult conversations. He helped me understand, when you fight for right, you sometimes don’t receive support from the very people you’re fighting for.
He preached at my church one Saturday and asked me a question in front of the of the congregation. Apparently my answer was incorrect because he said, “It’s ok to say I don’t know.” Words I share with Michai (even though he sometimes uses it to avoid answering the question at all).
No matter how many people he met/knew, he always greeted me with a deep stern tone, “Ms. James…how are you?”
Prayers for his family, friends, parishioners and students. I consider it a “God Wink” that I learned of his transition after leaving a follow up to the company’s Racial Equity Institute training.
The fight must go on…✊🏾 ✊🏾 ✊🏾