At Tennessee State University, I went to Courtyard Wednesday, where different campus organizations set up tables to promote their programs. I saw the Aspiring Ed table, talked to some members, and I signed up that day.
It’s been a wonderful experience that I’ve carried into my master’s program. Our Aspiring Ed program here does an excellent job at community outreach, and we have a great partnership with our state affiliate, the Tennessee Education Association. We organize food drives and donate what we collect to a local school. We visit different elementary schools and mentor students. We show them what college students look like and what campus life is like.
I was a second-year student going to different events around the state to learn how to become a better educator, leader, and advocate for public education. If I can come into the association and learn these different things, and then turn around and become a leader—advocating for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and minority-serving institutions—then others can too.
NEA Aspiring Ed isn’t just producing excellent educators they’re producing leaders.
I’ve learned about the American Teachers Association, whose members were mainly Black, and the 1966 merger with NEA. Those are the educators who came before me. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn't—couldn’t—be a part of NEA.
I represent my HBCU all day and every day and believe we must hold HBCUs up high because they were established so my descendants and people who look like me could improve our lives, lift up our culture, and pursue our own dreams.
I’m proud my union supports HBCUs, from lobbying Congress to provide millions of dollars in funding to support the growth of HBCUs to organizing on-campus chapters to recruit more members into our Aspiring Ed programs.
