If I could have everyone in the world read a book it would be “The Prophet” by Kahlil Gibran because the book addresses many issues that impact us all. I first read the book in high school and his message about children expressed what I was feeling but couldn’t express so my parents could understand. “Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself…You may give them your love, but not your thoughts…For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams. “Yes!”, I thought, “Finally someone understands, my parents are idiots who just want to keep me from having fun and exploring the world! They’re too old to even remember how to have fun!” But the discovery of Gilbran didn’t make my parents change their demands. They weren’t trying to harm me, they were trying their best to prepare me for a world they would not know, but wanted to ensure that I would survive. I grew up in the Civil Rights Era when a look could get you killed, and sadly, those dangers still exist. It wasn’t until I had children of my own that I understood my parents’ fears and dilemmas of trying to raise children for a world that was different, yet in many ways, still contained the same dangers. My children introduced me to the world of technology and showed me how easy it is to connect to others around the world. But just as I ignored the dangers my parents could see and understand, I had to put restrictions on my children for their own safety and in turn, became the “bad guy” in their eyes who didn’t want them to have fun. Gilbran’s words aren’t meant to separate us but to help us understand that we are part of a continuum of humanity. Although I couldn’t share Gilbran’s words with my parents, they got me through difficult days and to be more understanding of my children when they reached those difficult years known as adolescence.

“I want to be a drug dealer!” I stood shocked and horrified, hearing those words from a young child at an elementary school, for what I thought was an innocent conversation about career goals. That day, it became my mission to show our youth alternative career choices. I created my "In Search of Knowledge" project to help them understand that success is within their grasp, by showing them careers that will not put them in the “School to Prison Pipeline.” My goal is to inspire our youth to consider STEAM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) by exposing them to people in these careers who come from similar backgrounds and in some cases, live in their neighborhood so they can understand that success is within their grasp. The project is based on my original photographs of successful African Americans taken for over 50 years, because as Gordon Parks stated, “I knew the power of a photograph to change lives.” (Mr. Parks was the first African American photographer for Life and Vogue magazines.) It combines a history lesson with an original art exhibit that can be presented in the classroom. It is a living history lesson because only thirty-four individuals in the collection have passed. But it is more than a photo collection, there are workshops, exhibits, and a mini museum including books, magazine and newspaper articles and other artifacts. Included in the project are photos of Dr. John Henrik Clarke and Dr. Henry Lewis Gates (historians); Nikki Giovanni, Sonia Sanchez, and Gwendolyn Brooks (poets); Gordon Parks (photographer); Rev. Al Sharpton and Randall Robinson (activists) to name a few. Most recently, I added photos of Margot Lee Shetterly (author of “Hidden Figures”), Misty Copeland (ballerina) and Wale Oyejide’ (one of the fashion designers from the “Black Panther” movie). I was excited to learn that NASA named its landing site on Mars for Octavia Butler, the celebrated science fiction writer who is also in my collection! One of her books, “Kindred” is now a series on Hulu! The project expanded in 2013 to include an interview show on PhillyCAM (a local community access TV station) to give a more intimate look at the individuals in the collection. Without a budget and with volunteers, I was able to produce forty-nine episodes over four years. Through my guests, I was able to show our youth that while they may find STEAM boring, it could enhance their lives. I also created a twelve-week program to have high school interns work with me to create shows from start to finish. We did a two-part episode comparing the Civil Rights era to the Black Lives Matter movement and a three-part episode on how the Constitution impacts our life on a daily basis. These episodes are available on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/BusyAsABea/videos The coronavirus has brought drastic changes, it has claimed over a million lives, crossing political, economic, and racial lines, but it is hitting our educational systems the hardest. Through my own experiences I have learned that our youth face issues many adults have never had to address, giving them knowledge and wisdom through their experiences. That must be taken into consideration if we want to reach them. Our children are brilliant, and with a little help and guidance, they can soar! I believe my "In Search of Knowledge" project can provide that support.

Listen to the person when they are trying to tell you their issue instead of assuming you know it. People don’t usually reveal what is going on with them if they feel they will only face criticism. It takes a lot for a person who is struggling with a mental health issue to talk to someone because the usual response is for people to downplay what they are feeling. But too many times when someone reveals their problem, everyone want to offer a solution, but rarely do they check with the person to see if the person wants it or can use it. Our desire to help comes from a place of love, we simply want to help the person to stop hurting. But rarely do we know everything that has created the situation, we only see the surface. There are often many levels to the problem, and those levels must be taken into consideration to get to an answer. People with mental health issues often suffer until the physical matches the mental and we see how drained they are. It is often the way we become aware that something is wrong. But mental health issues take time to develop and many who struggle with them are bright and resilient. They have contemplated the problem and a solution, but they may not be sure it is the right one. By listening to the person, giving them time and space to breathe, they may be able to determine a solution with help from a willing listener. So, step back, take a breath and allow the person a chance to talk.

Sometimes it is hard these days to remember that we need to be involved in our communities helping others achieve their goals. I did not realize how I would get involved until the day I heard a child proudly announce at a career fair that he wanted was to be a drug dealer. I stood shocked and horrified, hearing those words for what I thought was an innocent conversation about career goals. Marian Wright Edelman’s words (founder and President of the Children's Defense Fund) sounded clear at that moment, “You can't be what you can't see.” That day, it became my mission to show our youth alternative career choices. I created my "In Search of Knowledge" project to help them understand that success is within their grasp by showing them careers that will not put them in the “School to Prison Pipeline.” My goal is to inspire our youth to consider STEM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) by exposing them to people in these careers who come from similar backgrounds and in some cases, live in their neighborhood so they can see and know success. The project is based on my original portraits of successful African Americans taken for over 50 years, because as Gordon Parks stated, “I knew the power of a photograph to change lives.” (Mr. Parks was the first African American photographer for Life and Vogue magazines.) It combines a history lesson with an original art exhibit that can be presented in the classroom. It is a living history lesson because only thirty-two individuals in the collection have passed. There are photos of Dr. John Henrik Clarke and Dr. Henry Lewis Gates (historians); Nikki Giovanni, Sonia Sanchez, and Gwendolyn Brooks (poets); Gordon Parks (photographer); Rev. Al Sharpton and Randall Robinson (activists) to name a few. Most recently, I added photos of Margot Lee Shetterly (author of “Hidden Figures”), Misty Copeland (ballerina) and Wale Oyejide’ (one of the fashion designers from the “Black Panther” movie). I was excited to learn that NASA named its landing site on Mars for Octavia Butler, the celebrated science fiction writer who is also in my collection! But the project is more than a photo collection, there are workshops, exhibits, books, magazines, and a mini museum including newspaper articles and other artifacts. In 2013, I expanded the project to include a TV interview show on PhillyCAM (a local community access TV station) to give a more intimate look at the individuals in the collection. I created a twelve-week program to have high school interns work with me to create shows from start to finish. We did a two-part episode comparing the Civil Rights era to the Black Lives Matter movement and a three-part episode on how the Constitution impacts our life on a daily basis. I was able to produce forty-nine episodes over four years with volunteers and without a budget. Some of the episodes are available on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/BusyAsABea/videos 2021 brought drastic changes – the coronavirus has claimed over 900,000 deaths, crossing political, economic, and racial lines. But the pandemic is hitting our educational systems the hardest and our children are growing up in a world that is vastly different from the one we knew. Through my own experiences I have learned that our youth face issues many adults have never had to address, giving them knowledge and wisdom through their experiences. That must be taken into consideration if we want to reach them. Our children are brilliant, and with a little help and guidance, they can soar! I am in the second year of St. Joseph’s University’s IDEPEL Program (Interdisciplinary Doctor of Education Program for Education Leaders). The program acknowledges that the educational environment is transforming, and it will allow me to do an in-depth study of my project while collaborating with other educational leaders. While I have experienced some success with this project, the program’s emphasis on areas such as methods and techniques of quantitative and qualitative research will ensure that my project complies with accepted educational theories. My goal is to continue documenting successful African Americans and connect with school districts and organizations who support our youth to present workshops and exhibits.

You can lose friends when you make a bad financial decision. I was one of those college students who was awarded a credit card and went wild. Well, just a little wild, I took a trip to California. Only I forgot about having a return ticket. A friend bailed me out, but it ruined our friendship and I’ve looked at finances in a different light ever since. It made me conscious that although I didn’t run my credit into the ground, poor financial decisions can have an impact on your credit report and your person life. I am fortunate that I had friends who helped me learn the importance of budgeting and personal fiscal responsibility. One friend, who became a financial advisor, took me to the “Millionaire Mind” workshop where I almost lost my mind again because they were selling a program that had me mesmerized. I ran to my friend to tell him the good news that I was going to buy it and he asked one question, how was I going to pay for it? With a credit card of course, and he asked the most important question, how was I going to pay the credit card bill and the fog lifted from my brain. For most of us, it is difficult to learn fiscal responsibility without pain and some are willingly to accept that pain over and over. But it is important that we take a long hard look at ourselves and what we are doing to contribute to our pain.

My dream life begins with me waking up and seeing my graduation cap and gown from the St. Joseph’s University IDEPEL Program (Interdisciplinary Doctor of Education Program for Education Leaders). My smile gets bigger when I realize that I successfully completed and defended my dissertation. Yea, no more homework, no more books! Now I can focus on what I have been waiting to do, help adolescents explore STEM careers by sharing my portraits of successful African Americans in a wide variety of occupations through my "In Search of Knowledge" project. I want to show them careers that won’t put them in the “School to Prison Pipeline.” In my dream life, I spend my time interacting with adolescents, parents, schools, and experts to provide workshops to help our children understand that success is within their grasp. 2021 brought drastic changes – the coronavirus has claimed over 900,000 deaths as I write this, crossing political, economic, and racial lines. But the pandemic is hitting our educational systems the hardest. Through my own experiences I have learned that our youth face issues many adults have never had to address, giving them knowledge and wisdom through their experiences. Our children are brilliant, and with a little help and guidance, they can soar! I believe my "In Search of Knowledge" project can provide that support.

“I want to be a drug dealer!” I stood shocked and horrified, hearing those words from a young child at an elementary school, for what I thought was an innocent conversation about career goals. I realized that we as adults must pay attention to our children and understand they are learning values from us. I understood that that child must have seen drug dealers as a role model. That day it became my mission to show our youth alternative career choices. I knew I had to show our youth that success is within their grasp, by showing them careers that will not put them in the “School to Prison Pipeline” or harm our neighborhoods. To meet this need, I created my "In Search of Knowledge" project which is based on my original photographs of successful African Americans taken for over 50 years, because as Gordon Parks stated, “I knew the power of a photograph to change lives.” (Mr. Parks was the first African American photographer for Life and Vogue magazines.) It combines a history lesson with an original art exhibit that can be presented in the classroom. It is a living history lesson because only thirty-three individuals in the collection have passed. But it is more than a photo collection, there are workshops, exhibits, and a mini museum including books, magazine and newspaper articles and other artifacts. Included in the project are photos of Dr. John Henrik Clarke and Dr. Henry Lewis Gates (historians); Nikki Giovanni, Sonia Sanchez, and Gwendolyn Brooks (poets); Gordon Parks (photographer); Rev. Al Sharpton and Randall Robinson (activists) to name a few. Most recently, I added photos of Margot Lee Shetterly (author of “Hidden Figures”), Misty Copeland (ballerina) and Wale Oyejide’ (one of the fashion designers from the “Black Panther” movie). I was excited to learn that NASA named its landing site on Mars for Octavia Butler, the celebrated science fiction writer who is also in my collection! The project expanded in 2013 to include an interview show on PhillyCAM (a local community access TV station) to give a more intimate look at the individuals in the collection. Without a budget and with volunteers, I was able to produce forty-nine episodes over four years. Through my guests, I was able to show our youth that while they may find STEM boring, it could enhance their lives. I also created a twelve-week program to have high school interns work with me to create shows from start to finish. We did a two-part episode comparing the Civil Rights era to the Black Lives Matter movement and a three-part episode on how the Constitution impacts our life daily. These episodes are available on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/BusyAsABea/videos 2021 brought drastic changes – the coronavirus has claimed over 800,000 deaths as I write this, crossing political, economic, and racial lines. But the pandemic is hitting our educational systems the hardest. Through my own experiences I have learned that our youth face issues many adults have never had to address, giving them knowledge and wisdom through their experiences. That must be taken into consideration if we want to reach them. Our children are brilliant, and with a little help and guidance, they can soar! I believe my "In Search of Knowledge" project can provide that support.

“I want to be a drug dealer!” I stood shocked and horrified, hearing those words from a young child at an elementary school, for what I thought was an innocent conversation about career goals. That day, it became my mission to show our youth alternative career choices. I created my "In Search of Knowledge" project to help them understand that success is within their grasp, by showing them careers that will not put them in the “School to Prison Pipeline.” My goal is to inspire our youth to consider STEM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) by exposing them to people in these careers who come from similar backgrounds and in some cases, live in their neighborhood so they can understand that success is within their grasp. The project is based on my original photographs of successful African Americans taken for over 50 years, because as Gordon Parks stated, “I knew the power of a photograph to change lives.” (Mr. Parks was the first African American photographer for Life and Vogue magazines.) It combines a history lesson with an original art exhibit that can be presented in the classroom. It is a living history lesson because only thirty-three individuals in the collection have passed. But it is more than a photo collection, there are workshops, exhibits, and a mini museum including books, magazine and newspaper articles and other artifacts. Included in the project are photos of Dr. John Henrik Clarke and Dr. Henry Lewis Gates (historians); Nikki Giovanni, Sonia Sanchez, and Gwendolyn Brooks (poets); Gordon Parks (photographer); Rev. Al Sharpton and Randall Robinson (activists) to name a few. Most recently, I added photos of Margot Lee Shetterly (author of “Hidden Figures”), Misty Copeland (ballerina) and Wale Oyejide’ (one of the fashion designers from the “Black Panther” movie). I was excited to learn that NASA named its landing site on Mars for Octavia Butler, the celebrated science fiction writer who is also in my collection! The project expanded in 2013 to include an interview show on PhillyCAM (a local community access TV station) to give a more intimate look at the individuals in the collection. Without a budget and with volunteers, I was able to produce forty-nine episodes over four years. Through my guests, I was able to show our youth that while they may find STEM boring, it could enhance their lives. I also created a twelve-week program to have high school interns work with me to create shows from start to finish. We did a two-part episode comparing the Civil Rights era to the Black Lives Matter movement and a three-part episode on how the Constitution impacts our life on a daily basis. These episodes are available on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/BusyAsABea/videos 2021 brought drastic changes – the coronavirus has claimed over 800,000 deaths as I write this, crossing political, economic, and racial lines. But the pandemic is hitting our educational systems the hardest. Through my own experiences I have learned that our youth face issues many adults have never had to address, giving them knowledge and wisdom through their experiences. That must be taken into consideration if we want to reach them. Our children are brilliant, and with a little help and guidance, they can soar! I believe my "In Search of Knowledge" project can provide that support.

“I want to be a drug dealer!” I stood shocked and horrified, hearing those words from a young child at an elementary school, for what I thought was an innocent conversation about career goals. That day, it became my mission to show our youth alternative career choices. I created my "In Search of Knowledge" project to help them understand that success is within their grasp, by showing them careers that will not put them in the “School to Prison Pipeline.” My goal is to inspire our youth to consider STEM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) by exposing them to people in these careers who come from similar backgrounds and in some cases, live in their neighborhood so they can understand that success is within their grasp. The project is based on my original photographs of successful African Americans taken for over 50 years, because as Gordon Parks stated, “I knew the power of a photograph to change lives.” (Mr. Parks was the first African American photographer for Life and Vogue magazines.) It combines a history lesson with an original art exhibit that can be presented in the classroom. It is a living history lesson because only thirty-three individuals in the collection have passed. But it is more than a photo collection, there are workshops, exhibits, and a mini museum including books, magazine and newspaper articles and other artifacts. Included in the project are photos of Dr. John Henrik Clarke and Dr. Henry Lewis Gates (historians); Nikki Giovanni, Sonia Sanchez, and Gwendolyn Brooks (poets); Gordon Parks (photographer); Rev. Al Sharpton and Randall Robinson (activists) to name a few. Most recently, I added photos of Margot Lee Shetterly (author of “Hidden Figures”), Misty Copeland (ballerina) and Wale Oyejide’ (one of the fashion designers from the “Black Panther” movie). I was excited to learn that NASA named its landing site on Mars for Octavia Butler, the celebrated science fiction writer who is also in my collection! The project expanded in 2013 to include an interview show on PhillyCAM (a local community access TV station) to give a more intimate look at the individuals in the collection. Without a budget and with volunteers, I was able to produce forty-nine episodes over four years. Through my guests, I was able to show our youth that while they may find STEM boring, it could enhance their lives. I also created a twelve-week program to have high school interns work with me to create shows from start to finish. We did a two-part episode comparing the Civil Rights era to the Black Lives Matter movement and a three-part episode on how the Constitution impacts our life on a daily basis. These episodes are available on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/BusyAsABea/videos 2021 brought drastic changes – the coronavirus has claimed over 800,000 deaths as I write this, crossing political, economic, and racial lines. But the pandemic is hitting our educational systems the hardest. Through my own experiences I have learned that our youth face issues many adults have never had to address, giving them knowledge and wisdom through their experiences. That must be taken into consideration if we want to reach them. Our children are brilliant, and with a little help and guidance, they can soar! I believe my "In Search of Knowledge" project can provide that support.

My vision for optimal mental health for the Black community is to receive training on mental health care. Many times, our desire to help comes from a place of love, we simply want to help the person to stop hurting. But rarely do we know everything that has created the situation, we only see the surface. There are often many levels to the problem and those levels must be taken into consideration to get to the answer. The City of Philadelphia offers free “First Aid Mental Health” training. It is advertised to teach “the skills needed to identify, understand, and respond to signs of behavioral health challenges or crises.” The training allowed me to have a clear vision of what someone experiences when they are faced with mental health issues. It showed me how little I knew and for the first time I was able to see that what I thought was helping was actually harmful. “First Aid Mental Health” training gave me a chance to see how best to approach someone to offer assistance in a manner that it would be accepted. The workshops also provided resources and services that we could utilize for ourselves because when someone we love is suffering, we suffer. Without mental health training, we will see more and more are glaring headlines like this one: “Six-year-old child commits suicide.” I was stunned to think that a child that young would take its own life. More importantly, what would cause a child to feel that suicide was the only solution? But this is not some typo, it is occurring more and more frequently because children are facing relentless pressure. COVID brought drastic changes, it shut the world down, and claimed over 700,000 deaths, crossing political, economic, and racial lines. I believe it is forcing us to talk to one another even if we can’t be in the same room because we are all hurting. Our children couldn’t be in school buildings for over eighteen months, but education requires social interactions as well as lessons, and it is changing the dynamics and mental health of our communities. The pandemic changed how I look at educating future generations. My challenge as an education doctoral student is, how can I continue to help students see the importance of education in the midst of the pandemic? Studies has shown that recessions impact the lifetime earnings of individuals, but we are only beginning to research the long-term emotional impact the coronavirus will have, especially for children. It is being reported that 140,000 children have lost a parent or caregiver. I realize that I have to help children who are dealing isolation and death, think beyond today, to the life they can have years from now. My other solution for the Black community is to give everyone a moment to breath! Too often people who are struggling with mental health issues are overwhelmed and afraid they will be judged as being weak if they seek help. People will not reveal what is going on with them if they feel they will only face criticism. They continue to suffer until the physical stress matches the mental stress and we see how drained they are. It is often the way we become aware that something is wrong. We need to remove the stigma from seeking mental health assistance and make it as common as going to the doctor for cold symptoms. So, step back, and take a breath!

“I want to be a drug dealer!” I stood shocked and horrified, hearing those words from a young child at an elementary school, for what I thought was an innocent conversation about career goals. That day, it became my mission to show our youth alternative career choices. I created my "In Search of Knowledge" project to help them understand that success is within their grasp by showing them careers that won’t put them in the “School to Prison Pipeline.” The project is based on my original portraits of successful African Americans taken for over 50 years, because as Gordon Parks stated, “I knew the power of a photograph to change lives.” (Mr. Parks was the first African American photographer for Life and Vogue magazines.) It combines a history lesson with an original art exhibit that can be presented in the classroom. It is a living history lesson because only 32 individuals in the collection have passed. My goal is to inspire our youth to consider STEAM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math). I want to expose them to people in these careers who come from similar backgrounds and in some cases, live in their neighborhood so they can understand that success is within their grasp. Our children are brilliant, and with a little help and guidance, they can soar! Through my own experiences I have learned that our youth face issues many adults have never had to address, especially at their age, giving them knowledge and wisdom through their experiences. That must be taken into consideration if we want to reach them.

Our children give me hope for a better future because they are brilliant, and with a little help and guidance, they can soar! Through my own work I have learned that our youth face issues that many adults have never had to address, giving them knowledge and wisdom through their own experiences. This must be taken into consideration if we want to talk to them about their future. 2021 brought drastic changes – the coronavirus has claimed over 670,000 deaths, crossing political, economic, and racial lines. It has shown our youth the impact low paying jobs can have on their lives and their families, and it will influence their career choices. I want our youth to understand that success is within their grasp by showing them careers that will not put them in the “School to Prison Pipeline.” I do this through my "In Search of Knowledge" project by introducing them to successful African American role models. For many of us, college education was the goal to improve our lives, education is important, but we can’t focus on college alone because college is not for everyone. There are students who enjoy using their hands, but college isn’t the place to develop their talent. Any increase in education can increase the lifetime earnings of all students. What also gives me hope is that federal agencies, like the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans and others are pushing to have more minorities enter STEAM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math). These agencies are estimating that we will need over one million professionals in these fields, but African Americans are the least likely to enter these careers. My goal is to inspire our youth to consider STEAM careers because no matter which careers, they chose, they will have to know STEAM to be successful. Through my "In Search of Knowledge" project, I expose them to people in these careers who come from similar backgrounds and in some cases, live in their neighborhood so they can understand that success is within their grasp. We must prepare our youth for a world that will be vastly different from the one we know. My challenge and my hope are that we continue encouraging our students and show them that a better life is available through STEAM jobs.

Being independent gives you an appreciation of being able to make your own decisions. My mission is to show our youth alternative career choices that won’t put them in the “School to Prison Pipeline.” I want them to understand that they have the ability to choose their own career, but they will need STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) no matter which careers they choose. I created my "In Search of Knowledge" project to help our youth understand that success is within their grasp by showing them my original portraits of successful African Americans taken for over 50 years. But the project is more than a photo collection, there are workshops, exhibits, books, magazines, and a mini museum including newspaper articles and other artifacts. I shared the entire project with my SCORE mentor and his response stunned me. He got excited, opened his eyes opened widely, and excitedly said, “You could get your PhD from this!” I realized that the scholarship that would be required of me to earn the degree would improve my project and enhance my skills. I have completed my first year in the St. Joseph’s University IDEPEL Program (Interdisciplinary Doctor of Education Program for Education Leaders). The program acknowledges that the educational environment is transforming, and it will allow me to do an in-depth study of my project while collaborating with other educational leaders. Now that’s independence!

I was one of those college students who was awarded a credit card and went wild. Well, just a little wild, I took a trip to California. Only I forgot about having a return ticket. A friend bailed me out, but it ruined our friendship and I’ve looked at finances in a different light ever since. It made me conscious that although I didn’t run my credit into the ground, poor financial decisions can have an impact on your credit report and your person life. I am fortunate that I had friends who helped me learn the importance of budgeting and financial freedom. One friend, who became a financial advisor, took me to the “Millionaire Mind” workshop where I almost lost my mind again because they were selling a program that had me mesmerized. I ran to my friend to tell him I was going to buy it and he asked one question, how was I going to pay for it? With a credit card of course, and he asked the most important question, how was I going to pay the credit card bill and the fog lifted from my brain. It is important that we take a long hard look at ourselves and what we are doing to contribute to our pain. One of the most important things I learned from the “Millionaire Mind” workshop was to look at the influence our parents have on how we view money. My parents had nine children to raise on a low income. I learned from the course that I take after my mother in her relationship to money. Her penny-pinching ways kept us fed and clothed, they robbed her of having joy in spending money. The one thing that I regret that I didn’t do with my children was something I learned from another parent. Every two weeks she made her children sit down and do the bills with her. Each child had an age-appropriate task, the older ones would write out the bills, the younger ones would put the stamp on and lick the envelop (obviously this was years ago!) She wanted them to understand that bills had to be paid, but it taught them good financial habits that would last for a lifetime. It also helped them to understand why she couldn’t buy everything they wanted. Most of us are afraid to be that honest with our children, but I would encourage parents to try it. It will get parents comfortable with being uncomfortable about their financial status and give their children a powerful, real world financial education. I’ve learned to follow the advice that financial advisors give – create a realistic budget and be prepared to sacrifice in the short term to allow yourself financial freedom for life. Start by paying down the highest bill and celebrate when it’s paid off, not by creating a new bill for the celebration, but by acknowledging your accomplishment. Five-year plans may seem like a lifetime when you’re in your twenties, but you will be able to really celebrate when you are debt free in your thirties. And I am proud to say I took to heart the lessons my friend, the financial advisor gave me. But I was surprised when he told me after all his years of giving people sound, realistic, financial advice, I was one of the few who took it to heart and stayed with it. One bad trip can have a lifetime impact on your financial freedom!

“I want to be a drug dealer!” I stood shocked and horrified, hearing those words from a young child at an elementary school, for what I thought was an innocent conversation about career goals. I realized if that was the only occupation he saw as a career choice, then we as adults were responsible for showing him that a prosperous life was possible for him without dealing drugs. That day, it became my mission to show our youth alternative career choices. I created my "In Search of Knowledge" project to help our youth understand that success is within their grasp by showing them careers that won’t put them in the “School to Prison Pipeline.” When I shared the project with my SCORE mentor, his eyes opened widely, and he excitedly said, “You could get your PhD from this!” With his encouragement, I have completed my first year in the St. Joseph’s University IDEPEL Program (Interdisciplinary Doctor of Education Program for Education Leaders). The program acknowledges that the educational environment is transforming, and it will allow me to do an in-depth study of my project while collaborating with other educational leaders.

Our children give me hope for a better future because they are brilliant, and with a little help and guidance, they can soar! Through my own work I have learned that our youth face issues that many adults have never had to address, giving them knowledge and wisdom through their own experiences. This must be taken into consideration if we want to talk to them about their future. 2021 brought drastic changes – the coronavirus has claimed over 670,000 deaths, crossing political, economic, and racial lines. It has shown our youth the impact low paying jobs can have on their lives and their families, and it will influence their career choices. I want our youth to understand that success is within their grasp by showing them careers that will not put them in the “School to Prison Pipeline.” I do this through my "In Search of Knowledge" project by introducing them to successful African American role models. For many of us, college education was the goal to improve our lives, education is important, but we can’t focus on college alone because college is not for everyone. There are students who enjoy using their hands, but college isn’t the place to develop their talent. Any increase in education can increase the lifetime earnings of all students. What also gives me hope is that federal agencies, like the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans and others are pushing to have more minorities enter STEAM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math). These agencies are estimating that we will need over one million professionals in these fields, but African Americans are the least likely to enter these careers. My goal is to inspire our youth to consider STEAM careers because no matter which careers, they chose, they will have to know STEAM to be successful. Through my "In Search of Knowledge" project, I expose them to people in these careers who come from similar backgrounds and in some cases, live in their neighborhood so they can understand that success is within their grasp. We must prepare our youth for a world that will be vastly different from the one we know. My challenge and my hope are that we continue encouraging our students and show them that a better life is available through STEAM jobs.

“I want to be a drug dealer!” I stood shocked and horrified, hearing those words from a young child at an elementary school, for what I thought was an innocent conversation about career goals. Marian Wright Edelman’s words (founder and President of the Children's Defense Fund) sounded clear at that moment, “You can't be what you can't see.” That day, it became my mission to show our youth alternative career choices. I created my "In Search of Knowledge" project to help them understand that success is within their grasp by showing them careers that will not put them in the “School to Prison Pipeline.” My goal is to inspire our youth to consider STEAM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) by exposing them to people in these careers who come from similar backgrounds and in some cases, live in their neighborhood so they can see success. The project is based on my original portraits of successful African Americans taken for over 50 years, because as Gordon Parks stated, “I knew the power of a photograph to change lives.” (Mr. Parks was the first African American photographer for Life and Vogue magazines.) It combines a history lesson with an original art exhibit that can be presented in the classroom. It is a living history lesson because only thirty-two individuals in the collection have passed. But the project is more than a photo collection, there are workshops, exhibits, and a mini museum including books, magazines, newspaper articles, and other artifacts. The project includes photos of Dr. John Henrik Clarke and Dr. Henry Lewis Gates (historians); Nikki Giovanni, Sonia Sanchez, and Gwendolyn Brooks (poets); Gordon Parks (photographer); Rev. Al Sharpton and Randall Robinson (activists) to name a few. Most recently, I added photos of Margot Lee Shetterly (author of “Hidden Figures”), Misty Copeland (ballerina) and Wale Oyejide’ (one of the fashion designers from the “Black Panther” movie). I was excited to learn that NASA named its landing site on Mars for Octivia Butler, the celebrated science fiction writer who is also in my collection! In 2013, I expanded the project to include a TV interview show on PhillyCAM (a local community access TV station) to give a more intimate look at the individuals in the collection. You can see episodes using this link: https://www.youtube.com/user/BusyAsABea/videos When I shared the project with my SCORE mentor, his eyes opened widely, and he excitedly said, “You could get your PhD from this!” With his encouragement, I have completed my first year in the St. Joseph’s University IDEPEL Program (Interdisciplinary Doctor of Education Program for Education Leaders). The program acknowledges that the educational environment is transforming, and it will allow me to do an in-depth study of my project while collaborating with other educational leaders. After graduating from IDEPEL and completing my dissertation, I plan to continue archiving the entire project through my 501c3 non-profit status that was secured in 2018. I am especially looking forward to transcribing the lecture notes I have taken over the years from individuals in the collection! Our children are brilliant and with a little help and guidance, they can soar! I believe my "In Search of Knowledge" project can provide that support, and this scholarship would help to cover the costs and allow me to focus on my studies.

“I want to be a drug dealer!” I stood shocked and horrified, hearing those words from a young child at an elementary school, for what I thought was an innocent conversation about career goals. I realized if that was the only occupation he saw as a career choice, then we as adults were responsible for showing him that a prosperous life was possible for him without dealing drugs. That day, it became my mission to show our youth alternative career choices. I created my "In Search of Knowledge" project to help our youth understand that success is within their grasp by showing them careers that won’t put them in the “School to Prison Pipeline.” When I shared the project with my SCORE mentor, his eyes opened widely, and he excitedly said, “You could get your PhD from this!” With his encouragement, I have completed my first year in the St. Joseph’s University IDEPEL Program (Interdisciplinary Doctor of Education Program for Education Leaders). The program acknowledges that the educational environment is transforming, and it will allow me to do an in-depth study of my project while collaborating with other educational leaders.

“To thine oneself be true.” We were taught that the only person you have to live with is you and being honest with yourself was critical to our success. I learned those words in sixth grade and they are still true. But I have to admit, as a young person, I was more concerned about what my family and friends thought about me than I thought about myself. And like many of our youth, I let the opinion of others dictate how I acted and sounded. I even got my first boyfriend because my “friends” thought it was time and they had picked someone out for me! Luckily it didn’t last long. I also recognized there were times in my childhood that I was true to myself. One day I ran to catch up to my friends and I was out of breath. Someone offered me a cigarette, saying it would help me breath better. I took one drag and started choking, it was enough to make me realize that smoking wasn’t for me. Despite pressure from my friends, I didn’t smoke and years later I am glad I never got the habit. That experience let me know that being true to myself was critical for my life and my health. As the years have gone by, I recognized the truth of this saying. After many long, lonely nights crying the “somebody done me wrong song”, I realized that I was the one doing myself wrong and I had no one else to blame for my choices. As I recognized I had the power to improve my life by making better choices, I started looking inside for guidance. When decisions have to be made, I have to make them by being true to myself.

Generosity is having someone take the time to get to know you, your talents, and help you recognize the value you can bring to others. My SCORE mentor’s generosity began as words of encouragement at a time that I needed them most. (SCORE stands for Service Corps of Retired Executives.) I came to SCORE because I wasn’t generating much income from my parenting training business. My goal was to “Help parents and teens survive adolescence with their sanity intact!” My mentor encouraged me to continue working on my business because he understood the impact improving those relationships can have on our communities and society. But I was shocked when my mentor later insisted that I should become a mentor myself. I thought you needed to obtain a certain level of income to be accepted as a mentor. He knew that being a successful business owner required a wide range of skills and the various management topics I taught in my “day job”, were often ignored by entrepreneurs. My mentor knew that entrepreneurs would need the skills I taught as their business increased. His insistence and persistence wore me down and I finally agreed, but only if we could mentor together. We mentored for three years. One day I decided to share a different project with my mentor. It’s a Black history project entitled, "In Search of Knowledge" His eyes opened widely, and he excitedly said, “You could get your PhD from this!” Because of his ongoing generosity and encouragement, I have completed my first year in the St. Joseph’s University IDEPEL Program (Interdisciplinary Doctor of Education Program for Education Leaders). My mentor’s generosity is something I will try to emulate.

Allow them a moment to breathe! Too often people who are struggling with mental health issues are overwhelmed. And the moment they finally reveal their problem, everyone seems to have a suggestion or a solution that they want to offer, but rarely do they check with the person to see if the person wants or can use the offered solution. People will not usually reveal what is going on with them if they feel they will only face criticism. They continue to suffer until the physical matches the mental and we see how drained they are. It is often the way we become aware that something is wrong. Many times, our desire to help comes from a place of love, we simply want to help the person to stop hurting. But rarely do we know everything that has created the situation, we only see the surface. There are often many levels to the problem, but they have usually escaped us, we did not even know there was a problem. But those levels must be taken into consideration to get to the answer. Too often when someone finally reveals their issue, everyone wants to give them their solution, not listen to theirs. Mental health issues take time to develop and many who struggle with them are bright and resilient. They have contemplated the problem and the solution, but they may not be sure it is the right one. By giving the person time and space to breathe, they may be able to articulate the appropriate solution. So, step back, take a breath yourself and allow the person a chance to talk.

“I want to be a drug dealer!” I stood shocked and horrified, hearing those words from a young child at an elementary school, for what I thought was an innocent conversation about career goals. I realized if that was the only occupation he saw as a career choice, then we as adults were responsible for showing him that a prosperous life was possible for him without dealing drugs. That was the moment I decided to create my "In Search of Knowledge" project to help our youth understand that success is within their grasp by showing them occupations that won’t put them in the “School to Prison Pipeline.” The project began in 2004 with a presentation at the American Library Association National Conference. It is based on my original photographs of successful African Americans taken for over 49 years, because as Gordon Parks stated, “I knew the power of a photograph to change lives.” (Mr. Parks was the first African American photographer for Life and Vogue magazines.) It combines a history lesson with an original art exhibit that can be presented in the classroom. It is a living history lesson because only 32 individuals in the collection have passed. My goal is to inspire our youth to consider STEAM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math). I share with them people in these careers who come from similar backgrounds and in some cases, live in their neighborhood so they can understand that success is within their grasp. In 2013, I expanded the project to include a TV interview show on PhillyCAM (a local community access TV station) to give a more intimate look at the individuals in the collection. I created a twelve-week program to have high school interns work with me to create shows from start to finish. With interns from Shoemaker Mastery Charter School, we created a two-part episode comparing the Civil Rights era to the Black Lives Matter movement and a three-part episode on how the Constitution impacts our life on a daily basis. I was able to produce 49 episodes over four years with volunteers and without a budget. In July 2018, I received my nonprofit status, it was also when I spoke to one of my board members (who was also my SCORE mentor) about the entire project. As I shared with him the various parts of the project, his eyes widen and he excitedly said, “You could get your PhD based on this!” It took a year of research for me to find the program that would best suit my need, and I was accepted into St. Joseph’s University IDEPEL Program (Interdisciplinary Doctor of Education Program for Education Leaders) in 2019. The IDEPEL program acknowledges that the educational environment is transforming, and it will allow me to do an in-depth study of my project while collaborating with other educational leaders. I delayed my admission for a year as I searched for scholarships and I began my classes in 2020. While I have experienced some success with this project, the program’s emphasis on areas such as methods and techniques of quantitative research will ensure that my project complies with accepted educational theories. We must commit to improving educational opportunities for our youth and prepare them for a world that will be vastly different from the one we know. They are growing up in a world that is being drastically changed by the coronavirus, politics, and racial discord. They are seeing the impact low paying jobs can have on their lives and their families, and it will impact their career choices. Through my own experiences I have learned that our youth face issues many adults have never had to address, giving them knowledge and wisdom through their experiences. That must be taken into consideration if we want to reach them. Our children are brilliant, and with a little help and guidance, they can soar! It is well documented that STEAM jobs pay well, giving our youth a better career path, but they must be supported in their efforts to enter these jobs. I believe that "In Search of Knowledge" can provide that support. I completed my first semester with an “A” and “A- “; this scholarship would help to cover some of my costs and allow me to focus on my studies.

Like many others, COVID forced me to change my activities, I was scheduled to begin my doctoral program in St. Joseph’s University’s IDEPEL (Interdisciplinary Doctor of Education Program for Education Leaders). My challenge as a doctoral student is, how can I continue to help students see the importance of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) careers in the midst of the pandemic? I do that by recognizing that our children are brilliant and with a little help and guidance, they can soar! My acceptance to the program was based on my project, "In Search of Knowledge" which is designed to interest African American teens in STEAM careers. Our children are being given examples on a daily or even hourly basis of the importance of STEAM to our very existence. It makes it easy for me to show our youth that it is an important part of any career. As an educator, I am being given an opportunity to observe major changes to our education systems that will impact our children for decades. I welcome the challenge!

Society can effectively empower women by doing more than issuing diversity and inclusion statements. We are in an extraordinary period of America’s existence and we can no longer afford to considered women as less than equal to men. Society must allow women to bring their knowledge, gifts, skills, and talent to the workforce. 2020 brought drastic changes – the coronavirus, politics and racial discord captured headlines at every turn, but of these three issues, the pandemic is hitting our educational systems the hardest. Research has shown that recessions impact the lifetime earning of individuals, we are only beginning to research the long-term financial impact the coronavirus will have on our youth, especially our young women. The coronavirus has shown our youth the impact low paying jobs can have on their lives and their families, and it will influence their career choices. The emphasis for education is important, but it cannot focus on college alone, any career can impact the lifetime earnings of all students. We must prepare them for a world that will be vastly different from the one we know. Marian Wright Edelman, founder, and President of the Children's Defense Fund stated, “You can't be what you can't see.” In response to that, I created the "In Search of Knowledge" project, which is based on my original photographs of successful African Americans taken for over 49 years. I want to expose children to people in STEAM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math), some of whom who come from similar backgrounds and in some cases, live in their neighborhood. It combines a history lesson with an original art exhibit that can be presented in the classroom. It is a living history lesson because only 32 individuals in the collection have passed. In 2013, I expanded the project to include a TV interview show on PhillyCAM (a local community access TV station) to give a more intimate look at the individuals in the collection. Without a budget and with volunteers (including high school students), I was able to produce 49 episodes over four years. Our children are brilliant and with a little help and guidance, they can soar! My challenge as a doctoral student is, how can I continue to help students see the importance of STEAM careers in the midst of the pandemic? I accomplish that by showing them that STEAM is a necessary and important part of any career. Society must do more than issue words of support and inclusion, they must include women at every level of their organizations, especially in the Board Rooms and decision-making positions. I believe that sharing the successful individuals in my collection can support our young women in their quest to change the world. I have completed my first semester in the St. Joseph’s University IDEPEL Program (Interdisciplinary Doctor of Education Program for Education Leaders). The program acknowledges that the educational environment is transforming, and it will allow me to do an in-depth study of my project while collaborating with other educational leaders.

My favorite film is “Black Panther” because for the 1st time, we were allowed to see that Africans are brilliant and have much to contribute! Many people don’t recognize and understand that the basis for the knowledge of humankind began on the continent of Africa. There are more than 54 countries in Africa and the film allowed viewers to see a small part of the amazing cultures that exist. It submersed viewers in a world that had technology behind what is available today in Western civilizations. It gave dignity and respect to people of color while showing their human side and the lead technical person was an African woman! It also showed Hollywood moguls that the world would pay to see African heroes, it made over $1.3 billion worldwide and its $700 million domestic gross was more than the “Avengers: Infinity War”! I know I contributed to that amount because I saw it 8 times in the theaters and I took others with me so they could experience the magic! Our children are growing up in a world that is being drastically changed by the coronavirus, politics, and racial discord, but they are brilliant, and with a little help and guidance, they can soar! “Black Panther” allowed them to see themselves while giving them encouragement to reach for the stars!

“I want to be a drug dealer!” I stood shocked and horrified, hearing those words from a young child at an elementary school, for what I thought was an innocent conversation about career goals. I realized if that was the only occupation he saw as a career choice, then we as adults were responsible for showing him that a prosperous life was possible for him without dealing drugs. Legacy to me means showing our youth alternative career choices. That was the moment I decided to create my "In Search of Knowledge" project to help our youth understand that success is within their grasp by showing them occupations that won’t put them in the “School to Prison Pipeline.” The project is based on my original photographs of successful African Americans taken for over 49 years, because as Gordon Parks stated, “I knew the power of a photograph to change lives.” (Mr. Parks was the first African American photographer for Life and Vogue magazines.) It combines a history lesson with an original art exhibit that can be presented in the classroom. It is a living history lesson because only 32 individuals in the collection have passed. My goal is to inspire our youth to consider STEAM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math). I share with them people in these careers who come from similar backgrounds and in some cases, live in their neighborhood so they can understand that success is within their grasp. In 2013, I expanded the project to include a TV interview show on PhillyCAM (a local community access TV station) to give a more intimate look at the individuals in the collection. I created a twelve-week program to have high school interns work with me to create shows from start to finish. We did a two-part episode comparing the Civil Rights era to the Black Lives Matter movement and a three-part episode on how the Constitution impacts our life on a daily basis. I was able to produce 49 episodes over four years with volunteers and without a budget. Our children are growing up in a world that is being drastically changed by the coronavirus, politics, and racial discord. They are seeing the impact low paying jobs can have on their lives and their families, and it will impact their career choices. Research has shown that recessions impact the lifetime earning of individuals, we are only beginning to research the long-term financial impact the coronavirus will have on our youth. We must commit to improving educational opportunities for our youth and prepare them for a world that will be vastly different from the one we know. Through my own experiences I have learned that our youth face issues many adults have never had to address, giving them knowledge and wisdom through their experiences. That must be taken into consideration if we want to reach them. Our children are brilliant, and with a little help and guidance, they can soar! It is well documented that STEAM jobs pay well, giving our youth a better career path, but they must be supported in their efforts to enter these jobs. I have completed my first semester in the St. Joseph’s University IDEPEL Program (Interdisciplinary Doctor of Education Program for Education Leaders). The program acknowledges that the educational environment is transforming, and it will allow me to do an in-depth study of my project while collaborating with other educational leaders. While I have experienced some success with this project, the program’s emphasis on areas such as methods and techniques of quantitative research will ensure that my project complies with accepted educational theories. I believe that "In Search of Knowledge" is my legacy. I completed my first semester with an “A” and “A- “; this scholarship would help to cover some of my costs and allow me to focus on my studies.

“I want to be a drug dealer!” I stood shocked and horrified, hearing those words from a young child at an elementary school, for what I thought was an innocent conversation about career goals. Marian Wright Edelman’s words (founder and President of the Children's Defense Fund) sounded clear at that moment, “You can't be what you can't see.” I realized if that was the only occupation he saw as a career choice, then we as adults were responsible for showing him that a prosperous life was possible for him without dealing drugs. That day, it became my mission to show our youth alternative career choices. I created my "In Search of Knowledge" project to help them understand that success is within their grasp by showing them careers that won’t put them in the “School to Prison Pipeline.” I understand from personal experience the importance of exposure to positive role models and how that can change your perspective of the world. Coming of age during the Civil Rights Era, my parents were determined that their children get a good education. I was shown success through family, schools, community, and exposure to the arts. This is what I had in mind when I created the "In Search of Knowledge" project. The project is based on my original photographs of successful African Americans taken for over 49 years, because as Gordon Parks stated, “I knew the power of a photograph to change lives.” (Mr. Parks was the first African American photographer for Life and Vogue magazines.) It combines a history lesson with an original art exhibit that can be presented in the classroom. It is a living history lesson because only 32 individuals in the collection have passed. My goal is to inspire our youth to consider STEAM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math). I want to expose them to people in these careers who come from similar backgrounds and in some cases, live in their neighborhood so they can understand that success is within their grasp. These individuals, by example could influence the life choices of our youth, improve their self-esteem, and motivate them to choose a career they may not otherwise have realized was possible. The response I have received from various audiences, especially our youth, confirmed the need to expand our children’s career choices. In 2013, I expanded the project to include a TV interview show on PhillyCAM (a local community access TV station) to give a more intimate look at the individuals in the collection. I created a twelve-week program to have high school interns work with me to create shows from start to finish. We did a two-part episode comparing the Civil Rights era to the Black Lives Matter movement and a three-part episode on how the Constitution impacts our life on a daily basis. I was able to produce 49 episodes over four years with volunteers and without a budget. Our children are growing up in a world that is being drastically changed by the coronavirus, politics, and racial discord. They are seeing the impact low paying jobs can have on their lives and their families, and it will impact their career choices. It is well documented that STEAM jobs pay well, giving our youth a better career path, but they must be supported in their efforts to enter these jobs. We must commit to improving educational opportunities for our youth and prepare them for a world that will be vastly different from the one we know. Through my own experiences I have learned that our youth face issues many adults have never had to address, giving them knowledge and wisdom through their experiences. That must be taken into consideration if we want to reach them. I have completed my first semester in the St. Joseph’s University IDEPEL Program (Interdisciplinary Doctor of Education Program for Education Leaders). The program acknowledges that the educational environment is transforming, and it will allow me to do an in-depth study of my project while collaborating with other educational leaders. I completed my first semester with an “A” and “A- “; this scholarship would help to cover some of my costs and allow me to focus on my studies. Our children are brilliant, and with a little help and guidance, they can soar! I believe that "In Search of Knowledge" can provide that support.

“I want to be a drug dealer!” I stood shocked and horrified, hearing those words from a young child at an elementary school, for what I thought was an innocent conversation about career goals. Marian Wright Edelman’s words (founder and President of the Children's Defense Fund) sounded clear at that moment, “You can't be what you can't see.” That day, it became my mission to show our youth alternative career choices. I created my "In Search of Knowledge" project to help them understand that success is within their grasp by showing them careers that won’t put them in the “School to Prison Pipeline.” I understand from personal experience the importance of exposure to positive role models and how that can change your perspective of the world. Coming of age during the Civil Rights Era, my parents were determined that their children get a good education. I was shown success through family, schools, community, and exposure to the arts. This is what I had in mind when I created the "In Search of Knowledge" project. The project is based on my original photographs of successful African Americans taken for over 49 years, because as Gordon Parks stated, “I knew the power of a photograph to change lives.” (Mr. Parks was the first African American photographer for Life and Vogue magazines.) It combines a history lesson with an original art exhibit that can be presented in the classroom. It is a living history lesson because only 32 individuals in the collection have passed. My goal is to inspire our youth to consider STEAM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math). I want to expose them to people in these careers who come from similar backgrounds and in some cases, live in their neighborhood so they can understand that success is within their grasp. In 2013, I expanded the project to include a TV interview show on PhillyCAM (a local community access TV station) to give a more intimate look at the individuals in the collection. I created a twelve-week program to have high school interns work with me to create shows from start to finish. We did a two-part episode comparing the Civil Rights era to the Black Lives Matter movement and a three-part episode on how the Constitution impacts our life on a daily basis. I was able to produce 49 episodes over four years with volunteers and without a budget. Our children are growing up in a world that is being drastically changed by the coronavirus, politics, and racial discord. They are seeing the impact low paying jobs can have on their lives and their families, and it will impact their career choices. It is well documented that STEAM jobs pay well, giving our youth a better career path, but they must be supported in their efforts to enter these jobs. We must commit to improving educational opportunities for our youth and prepare them for a world that will be vastly different from the one we know. Through my own experiences I have learned that our youth face issues many adults have never had to address, giving them knowledge and wisdom through their experiences. That must be taken into consideration if we want to reach them. I have completed my first semester in the St. Joseph’s University IDEPEL Program (Interdisciplinary Doctor of Education Program for Education Leaders). The program acknowledges that the educational environment is transforming, and it will allow me to do an in-depth study of my project while collaborating with other educational leaders. I completed my first semester with an “A” and “A- “; this scholarship would help to cover some of my costs and allow me to focus on my studies. Our children are brilliant, and with a little help and guidance, they can soar! I believe that "In Search of Knowledge" can provide that support.

“I want to be a drug dealer!” I stood shocked and horrified, hearing those words from a young child at an elementary school, for what I thought was an innocent conversation about career goals. Valarie Jarrett’s words sounded clear at that moment, “You can’t be what you cannot see.” That day, it became my mission to show our youth alternative career choices. I created my "In Search of Knowledge" project to help them understand that success is within their grasp by showing them careers that won’t put them in the “School to Prison Pipeline.” I understand from personal experience the importance of exposure to positive role models and how that can change your perspective of the world. Coming of age during the Civil Rights Era, my parents were determined that their children get a good education. I was shown success through family, schools, community, and exposure to the arts. This is what I had in mind when I created the "In Search of Knowledge" project. The project is based on my original photographs of successful African Americans taken for over 49 years, because as Gordon Parks stated, “I knew the power of a photograph to change lives.” (Mr. Parks was the first African American photographer for Life and Vogue magazines.) It combines a history lesson with an original art exhibit that can be presented in the classroom. It is a living history lesson because only 32 individuals in the collection have passed. My goal is to inspire our youth to consider STEAM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math). I want to expose them to people in these careers who come from similar backgrounds and in some cases, live in their neighborhood. In 2013, I expanded the project to include a TV interview show on PhillyCAM (a local community access TV station) to give a more intimate look at the individuals in the collection. Our children are brilliant, but they are growing up in a world that is being drastically changed by the coronavirus, politics, and racial discord. They are seeing the impact low paying jobs can have on their lives and their families, and it will impact their career choices. It is well documented that STEAM jobs pay well, giving our youth a better career path, but they must be supported in their efforts to enter these jobs. I believe that "In Search of Knowledge" can provide that support. To further enhance my skills and my ability to have an impact on our youth, I am enrolled in the IDEPEL (Interdisciplinary Doctor of Education Program for Education Leaders) at St. Joseph’s University.