You may not control all the events that happen to you,

But you can decide not to be reduced by them. 

— Maya Angelou

Teaching part-time at UNLV in COLA is challenging but enjoyable, my second wind. I identify strongly with First Gen students, faculty and staff. I also identify as a Black Feminist and as a Feminist. As a high school senior from a small California town, I won a scholarship to Mills College, at that time an elite, liberal arts women’s college located in Oakland, California.  I was an English Literature major, art history minor. Mills had no first gen program or first year seminars, and I really struggled. But the college introduced me to feminist thought. I graduated with a BA in English Literature, then received a master’s in Library Science from the [former] library school at UC Berkeley.

The Liberal Arts education coupled later with graduate degrees in Law (JD, Lewis & Clark), and Education Policy (Ph.D., University of Missouri--Columbia) helped me to successfully navigate many environments – career and social – and supported my Black Feminist and Feminist research interests which informed my dissertation. My current research interests are the lived experiences of Black women over 50 years of age.  My husband and I have three children (one deceased) all of whom have master’s degrees.

I admire each of my UNLV students, and I expect good things for them, and from them.