Just A Thought

Emeka and I would like to start by thanking you all for joining us on this journey with Catalyst:ed as we unpacked some of the key areas impacting colleges/universities in the United States. There are countless barriers that negatively impact potential and current students on a systemic level, and through this work we’ve unpacked how institutions can work actively to ensure that students feel safe, seen, heard, honored, and supported throughout enrollment. On our final episode, we have the privilege of speaking with some of the dopest people uplifting academia, as they help us to better understand the role of academic advising and student support services, and provide us with creative ideas on how to support students from historically excluded communities who are most impacted when services don’t meet them at the intersection of their identities and lived experiences.

The Guests:

Melinda Anderson, Ed.D.

Melinda J. Anderson has worked in academic and student affairs in higher education for more than 20 years. Her leadership skills coupled with her passion and commitment to student success – especially in the areas of student transitions, persistence, and retention – have propelled her to the helm of a worldwide academic association.

In July 2021, Dr. Anderson was appointed Executive Director of NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising, which serves more than 15,000 members globally. As NACADA Executive Director, Anderson is responsible for directing all the Association’s initiatives including its strategic efforts, professional development for members, programming, content creation, enhancing NACADA’s consulting services, member engagement and growth, and defining its research agenda. In addition, Anderson holds a teaching position in the Kansas State University College of Education’s Leadership in Academic Advising doctoral program.

Dr. Anderson graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication and a Master’s in Adult Education. She earned her doctorate in Higher Education Administration from the College of William and Mary. Originally from Northern Virginia, Anderson currently resides in Manhattan, Kansas.

Kayla Nelson

Kayla Nelson is a Psychology major with a concentration in Child and Family studies pursuing double minors in Sociology and Women/Gender studies. As a junior at Roosevelt University, she enjoys spending time being involved in campus programs such as the McNair Scholars Program, the Mansfield Fellowship Program, SSS STEM, MCTC, and CASSAC. She hopes to further her education and one day become a therapist for children and adolescents.

Carl Hunter

Carl Hunter is the Assistant Director of Student Equity and Inclusion at Roosevelt University. His schooling includes a B.S. The emphasis in History, a Minor in Ethnic Studies from Illinois State University and is currently enrolled in the M.A. Conflict and Mediation program here at Roosevelt. Carl is an experienced higher education administrator, leader, motivator, and mentor who is dedicated to ensuring that students reach their highest level of success. His compassion and love for people is what drive his passion for educational success. His motivation is inspired by an “Operating with Excellence” attitude and lifestyle which he pursues daily. He is excited to be a part of this awesome orientation team again and he's grateful to see all the wonderful new students in person this year. Fun fact: I am a first-generation college student

About the Episode:

Look, finances are complicated enough on a regular day, but beloved, the minute we start factoring in scholarships, grants, loans, G.I. bills, and fees it turns into a whole different monster. This episode we’ll hear from two financial aid experts on the different ways that financial aid policies serve as barriers to degree/program completion (especially to our most vulnerable students), and learn different tips we can use to support knowledge transparency for students, their families, and administrators. But on the real, I just need them to make these refund checks hit faster than they do because we got bills to pay homie.

Our Guests:

Mrs. Denise Spellman attended Undergraduate and Graduate studies at The University of New Orleans.  She is currently the Financial Aid Director at Dillard University since 2016, and although employed there as Financial Aid Director for the past 6 years, she has worked in the Financial Aid profession for 36 years. During her tenure, she has held several titles, served as Training Chair for several years for the Louisiana Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (LASFAA) and presided over LASFAA as President during the 2011 year.  She is passionate about her job and the success of students – her goal is to provide “Access to Success” to students and to help streamline the financial aid process in this ever changing financial aid industry.  She loves to help others, cook, decorate and create floral arrangements and centerpieces for events.  In addition to being the Financial Aid Director, Mrs. Spellman is also a Freelance Sign Language Interpreter and is currently teaching a beginning Sign Language class for the Education Talent Search Program at Dillard University. She is also a Breast Cancer Survivor celebrating 11 years of being Breast Cancer Free and thank God daily for His Grace, Mercy and all of the gifts, talents, skills and abilities that He has bestowed.

Jermany Gray is a graduating senior from the City with Soul - Jackson, MS. He attends the illustrious Dillard University where he majors in Political Science with a minor focus on Criminal Justice, Urban Studies, and Public Policy. As Jermany prepares for the next chapter of his life, he hopes to be of service to his community through politics and community advocacy. "With my short existence, I can make a difference" -  Connie, Steven Universe

Dr. Nia Woods Haydel serves as the Vice President for Alliance Engagement and Institutional Transformation at Complete College America.  She provides leadership on initiatives focusing on strengthening partnerships with alliance members, developing strategies to build on existing college completion policy initiatives, and conceptualizing CCA’s work around institutional transformation. Prior to her current position, she dedicated over 20 years on college campuses envisioning, planning, and executing strategic initiatives designed to elevate the student experience. Her diverse experiences have influenced her commitment to crafting learning environments that address the holistic needs of students thereby increasing their propensity for success particularly for populations who have been excluded from full participation in higher education. She earned a B.S. in Psychology from the University of New Orleans, M.S. in Higher Education Administration from Texas A & M University, and a Ph.D. in Educational Policy Studies from Georgia State University.  She resides in New Orleans, LA with her husband, Chase, and their 3 children, Issis, Chase, and Noelle.

The Blurb:

I don’t care what anyone says, teaching is an art, beloved! Subject matter expertise in isolation is not enough to impart long lasting knowledge onto others while simultaneously fostering an atmosphere of creativity, innovation, and safety that students can use to run with that information to change their fields. We have to be storytellers, mentors, experts, and persons capable of accessing all of our humanity in order to support the growth and development of diverse minds. But, where do we learn to do these things? Do our institutions support this level of care and support? Can we actually inform the curriculum and by extension the climate of our universities? Find out next week on Dragon Ball Z, nah I’m playing, just listen to the brilliant minds on this week’s episode. Let’s learn a little about our guests:

The Guests:

Lizmaylin Ramos

Lizmaylin graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 2020 with a bachelors in biology and psychology. She is currently an NIH-PREP Scholar in the Department of Neuroscience at Brown University. She will be commencing graduate school this upcoming Fall. Beyond her work in the lab, she is deeply committed to addressing barriers to educational equity and fostering a more diverse and inclusive environment in academia.

Monica Flippin Wynn

Dr. Monica Flippin Wynn is a Senior Assistant Vice President at the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education. Currently, she coordinates the Retention Performance Management Process and Equity in Retention Academy. She produces the Gardner Institute transformative Conversations, and she contributes to several Teaching and Learning Projects that include the High-Impact Online Teaching Practices for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. She has worked at Lindenwood University and Jackson State University (JSU) serving in several faculty and administrator capacities

Bryan Dewsbury

Bryan Dewsbury is an Associate Professor of Biology and Associate Director of the STEM Transformation Institute at Florida International University. He is the Principal Investigator of the Science Education And Society (SEAS) program, where he and his team conduct several research projects and programming that investigate the social context of teaching and learning. He has conducted over 85 professional development workshops across North America on equity-minded education practices at institutions of higher education helping faculty transform their curricula, and administrators transform their campuses. He is a Fellow with the John N. Gardner Institute where he supports institutions undergoing curricula transformation. He sits on several other advisory boards including the Improving General Education Life Sciences network (IGELS), Racially-just Inclusive Open Science (RIOS), and HHMI Biointeractive program. He is the PI and founder of the Deep Teaching Residency (DTR), a yearlong program that helps faculty transform their practice pertaining to inclusive education

Just like every other facet of our lives, colleges and universities only run as well as the policies and rules that shape how those involved are able to support one another in the most equitable and inclusive ways possible. Our institutional policies are part of the backbone of how we function, they guide decisions made from the President’s Office to what’s on the menu in the cafeteria. With this in mind, we have to be able to critically unpack whether policies are actually working in service of all campus community members, and we should know how we can advocate for our most vulnerable if they’re driving inequitable outcomes. So, here’s the big question, do you know what institutional policies are being implemented on your campus, and what you can do to bring awareness to the ones that may seek to marginalize those from historically excluded communities? Stay tuned to find out what the return policy is if things don’t seem to add up. Let’s meet our guests:

Victoria Marron, Ed.D.

Dr. Victoria Marron’s life goal is to serve traditionally marginalized student populations and their families by removing systemic barriers and empowering their success. As Associate Vice President of Retention and Transition Services and Chief Equity Officer at Lee College, Dr. Marron strives to meet students’ basic needs and make measurable progress toward the ideal student experience.  She also works to strategically advance Lee College’s equity and anti-racism initiatives. Dr. Marron openly shares that she was raised in a single-parent home, is the product of government welfare assistance such as section 8 public housing communities, is a childhood survivor of sexual and domestic abuse, and a first-generation teen mom college student. All of these identities serves her daily as she strives to make her community and college the best community possible for students especially those like her.

Monica Parrish Trent, Ph.D.

Monica Parrish Trent, Ph.D., is Vice President, Network Engagement at Achieving the Dream, and has primary responsibility for executing a strong network experience for all ATD and prospective ATD Colleges.  In this capacity, Monica leads efforts to engage colleges during their life cycle of participation with ATD; deliver learning events that inspire and mobilize college leaders across their organizations to adopt innovative, evidence-based practices that facilitate equitable student success outcomes; design and deliver programs and services that support and accelerate student success; and recruit and retain colleges into the ATD Network.

Monica has extensive experience and a successful track record leading faculty and staff in distance and digital learning; use of open educational resources; program and course redesign; enrollment management; developmental education reform; culturally responsive pedagogy; and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. With more than 25 years of experience at diverse, multi-campus community colleges, Monica has maintained a sharp focus on improving student success and reducing equity gaps for low-income students and students of color.

Monica is a 2021-2022 Aspen Rising Presidents Fellow, has served as a commissioner on the American Association of Community College’s Commission on Research, Data and Accountability and is a peer reviewer for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

One of the least talked about goals of attending college is to leave having built meaningful relationships with a new group of folks that you can now call family; your new play-cousins. You spend years together figuring out your courses, your career goals, and more importantly, who you are as a person. In doing so, you get to take part in life changing experiences that have the potential to mold you into your most authentic self, and solidify who you want to be in the world around you. Yet, in order for this to happen, your campus has to intentionally provide space for you to experiment, explore, fail, and succeed safely with the support of your peers, teachers, and administrators. We recognize that this may look differently depending on the environment you’re in, but nevertheless, we all want the vibe of having felt included, encouraged, and inspired. This episode, we’ll hear directly from Stillman College junior, Hanna Fields, about what she needs from her institution in order to perceive her campus culture as equitable and inclusive, and senior administrators, Darryl Ann Lai Fang and Chanel L. Fort, on what we can be doing to instill this sense of family and protect our most vulnerable. Let’s meet our guests:

Hannah Fields - She’s a 21-year-old Junior at Stillman College. She recently became a Journalism and English major. So far in her college career, she has been a part of the English Honors Society-Sigma Tau Delta, Harte Honors, and many other academic opportunities/organizations. Outside of school, Hannah reads, writes, and spends time with her friends and family (over the phone).

Facebook: Hannah Fields

Chanel L. Fort - With 21 years of experience, Fort has made a career in designing, implementing, and evaluating sustainable learning and development, workforce education, and change management programs for private, non-profit, government, and higher education entities. Fort serves as Director of Academic Innovation at Stillman College, a historically Black college and university (HBCU) located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Fort leads as Creator and Learning Strategist of Fortified Learning Solutions, designing and implementing equitable strategies for change, and serves as a National Designer in Residence for Education Design Lab reimagining the role of higher education to close racial and economic opportunity gaps. She’s a member of various organizations and committees and remains actively engaged in the community as Change Agent for UNCF’s Institute for Capacity Building. A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Fort earned a B.S. in Health Sciences and an M.S. in Human Services Administration. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Education from Pepperdine University, focusing on global leadership and change.

What’s important to me are the community, equitable higher education, and social change strategies for closing racialized opportunity gaps.

Twitter: @clfort5 & LinkedIn: Fortified Education Solutions

Darryl Ann Lai Fang - ICB Director of Strategy Execution and is responsible for implementing strategies for the institutional transformation of Black colleges and universities. She oversees the fastest-growing service vertical of program managers assigned to institutional cohorts. Don’t mess with her. Darryl Ann is a U.S. Air Force veteran who served in Desert Shield and Desert Storm. She leverages the discipline, hard work and attention to detail that she learned in the military to propel higher education institutions toward transformational change. Darryl Ann earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix, a Master of Science degree in Human Resource Management from Nova Southeastern University, and is currently pursuing a Doctorate of from the Interdenominational Theological Center (UNCF Member) 

Twitter @Watkins1024 & TikTok Darryl Lai Fang

Yesssss! What’s good people! Welcome back to Season 3 of ya fav podcast, #JustAThought with Leila & Emeka. Let’s get into this discussion on being Black in the workplace with Mr. Joel Todd, MA, EMBA. Joel started his career in higher education and has worked professionally in multiple states across the county. The constant in his career is helping people. He has experience in academic advising, career coaching, program development, data and analytics, and human resources. He holds a B.A. in Psychology, a M.A. in Counselor Education, and an Executive MBA (EMBA). In his spare time, he enjoys travel, reading, watching television and movies.

It’s the season 2 finale y’all! But don’t worry we’ll be back in January. But in the meantime, let’s talk about the Reverend and future doctor, Marco McNeil. The homie from the way back! Ask him about UT Spring 06, never mind don’t ask him that. He’s Assistant to the Senior Pastor for Special Projects, Executive Director of the ZACDC, and Director of CAYA - all through St. Paul’s Baptist Church in Charlotte, NC. He’s a husband, father of 3, and a bomb ass grill master (trust me I got some of his specialty blend seasoning and it’s 🔥🔥🔥). If you’re looking for opportunities to learn more about his work through the church or his food, check out his full bio and these links below: Reverend McNeil is the fourth child born to Ms. Fannie McNeil. He was born in Cleveland, OH and there he received his elementary education from St. Joseph in Collingwood and the Euclid School District before graduating from Glenville High School. He has studied at Charlotte Christian College and Theological Seminary (formally New Life Theological Seminary) in Charlotte, NC. He is a Master of Divinity graduate of the Samuel Dewitt Procter School of Theology at Virginia Union University. Rev. McNeil is currently a Doctoral Student at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School in Rochester, New York. ​ Since his early youth, Rev. McNeil has always been in the ministry of the church. At Starlight Missionary Baptist Church, in East Cleveland, Ohio he was licensed to preach the Gospel and has done so by remaining relevant, preaching with spiritual power while keeping academic integrity and keeping Jesus Christ at the center. As a student of the African American Preaching Tradition and Practical Theology he contributes his preaching formation to his spiritual father Dr. Peter M. Wherry as well as other mentors such as, Dr. John W. Kinney, Dr. James Henry Harris and Dr. Charles Gilcrest Adams. While in Charlotte, God has continued to open many doors for Rev. McNeil. He has served as Administrative Assistant to the Sr. Pastor and Minister of Youth at Mayfield Memorial Missionary Baptist Church; he has served as Regional Chaplain of the Ohio Valley Region of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Inc. serving over 4,000 men in the states of Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia from 2009-2015. Also, in 2015 Rev. McNeil was accepted as a Clinical Pastoral Intern for the Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Salisbury, North Carolina in which he completed in May 2016. In 2017, he was selected as one of the Emerging Preachers by the Cleveland Baptist Association/ American Baptist Churches. In July 2017, he served as a Resident Mentor in the STREAM Youth Theology Institute and Program Assistant, serving some of the brightest teen theological minds in the country. Rev. McNeil currently serves as the Special Assistant to the Senior Pastor at St. Paul Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina and Executive Director of Zachariah Alexander Community Development Corporation where they have built $18 million dollars of affordable housing in the Belmont Community. He also serves on the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend Steering Committee for the City of Charlotte. In July 2019 Rev. McNeil will celebrated eight years of marriage to the educated and lovely Mrs. Briana McNeil (formerly Nickols). They are the grateful parents of three children, Jamari A. & Marco, Jr. (Deuce), and Saniyah Nova. The McNeil’s describe themselves as a ministry team prepared to do the work of the Lord. https://m.youtube.com/watch?fbclid=IwAR3r0M3B08tzocQjBu3xeutkU5u4XgFJ8LVWP3El57L6N6PCgr6srBQhKAw&feature=share&v=jSp2f-SHdEQ The seasoning: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MarcoTheFoodGuy?ref=search_shop_redirect YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJJjdEGWabe_B-FV-J8HG0A

Yaaallllll come and sit the hell down and get ready for tomorrow’s episode featuring one bad ass Black woman, licensed psychologist, editor, author, and one of the greatest minds of our generation...Dr. Jackie Darby, Psy.D.! Get into this spirit of liberation in today’s episode, Free Yo Mind, & The Rest Will Follow w| Jackie Darby Dr. Jacquelin Darby is a licensed clinical psychologist and certified group psychotherapist at the American University Counseling Center. Her clinical interests include: substance use issues, body image concerns (specifically the effects of colorism), interpersonal trauma, and the effects of systemic oppression on individuals. Dr. Darby also serves as an adjunct faculty member at Purdue Global University and teaches courses in the graduate psychology department. She currently serves on the Mid-Atlantic Group Psychotherapy Board as an Early Career representative. Dr. Darby’s book can be purchased on pre-order here (with a chapter authored by ya co-host, Leila) - Black Millennials: Identity, Ambition, and Activism https://www.amazon.com/dp/1793611815/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fabt1_wdcSFbM86VYFX

Now baby listen, I know I got some intelligent people in my life, but the way Dr. Presley's brain works is a thing of beauty. The way she makes associations, breaks down constructs, pulls in historical context, all while helping you get your life together in the present day is UNMATCHED. I know I say this every week, but I can't wait for y'all to hear my good sis learn ya a lil sumn sumn. This was a word y'all!

Dr. Tramaine Presley is a graduate from Wright State University School of Professional

Psychology in Dayton, Ohio, where she received a doctorate degree in clinical psychology

(Psy.D). She currently works as a mental health professional in Indianapolis, IN, providing an

array of clinical services in private practice, schools and college counseling settings. Dr. Presley

is trained to work across populations. While she primarily works with children, adolescents, and

families through various modalities, she also works with young adults. She has a particular

passion and commitment to working with individuals from marginalized and underrepresented

groups. Her work is aimed at helping individuals locate themselves within the realm of wellness.

Aside from her clinical work, Dr. Presley serves as an adjunct instructor, teaching undergraduate

psychology courses. She has a special research interest in first-generation college students. She is

attracted to research that aims to increase retention rates among first-generation college students.

She shares a special interest in developing assessment instruments, capturing the experiences of

first-generation college students.

Lastly, Dr. Presley has a deep understanding and sensitivity to issues concerning

multiculturalism and diversity. Her understanding and sensitivity of multiculturalism and its

impact on the therapeutic process is a prominent part of her work. “Preparing tomorrow’s

psychologists for a diverse world” is the motto of her alma mater. Consequently, she integrates

diversity and multicultural considerations into every aspect of clinical care. Diversity and

multiculturalism are fundamental to her clinical approach as true informed psychological care

begins with a genuine and curious understanding of cultural identity and its influences on one’s

current functioning.

Y'all we got a special treat this week. My co-host, one of my fav humans, a dope as academic, and all-around wonderful person, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ikegwuonu is the special guest for our 3rd episode. When I say his work was eye opening as hell when it comes to the financial breakdown of education systems, calling special attention to how confusing it can be for the professionals; so just imagine if school is new to you and you're figuring it out on your own...All I can say is SHOW ME THE MONEY AND CLARIFY WHERE IT'S GOING SINCE THIS COST SO DAMN MUCH!

Dr. Chukwuemeka (Emeka) A. Ikegwuonu is a quantitative researcher that investigates internal and external influences on institutions of higher education (IHE), and how these factors influence institutional policies that impact student behavior. His interest stems in understanding how the current political and financial climate can price out students from entering public universities through the organizational reactions from the state and federal environment. Professionally, Emeka previously served as an student affairs administrator serving overseeing student activities, leadership development, conduct, and principle investigator in a programmatic grant that increases the retention and graduation of African American Men at Arizona State University.

Let's talk about pipelines to higher ed, cohosting marginalized student groups, getting buy in from university leadership to integrate programs geared towards supporting students with intersecting margnalized identities that will actully help them get to graduation. And while we're at, let's make these institution-wide initiatives with short- and long-term implications instead of just lip service. Sounds like a bunch of big constructs, but guess tf what...Rev. Tucker is going to help us unpack it. Let's go!

Brandon Roderick Tucker, a United States Air Force veteran, is the Associate Vice President of

Workforce and Community Development at WCC overseeing the college’s strategy for corporate and

community engagement. He previous was the Dean of Advanced Technologies & Public Service Careers

also at WCC. Brandon has received numerous awards for his service to the community and contributions to the

profession of Workforce Development including the Emerging Leader Award (AA Legacy Project), the

2011 Edward Schmidt Outstanding Young Alum (University of Toledo Alumni Association), 20 Under 40

Award (Toledo Business Journal), and 40 Under 40 (Crains’ Business Detroit).

Brandon is an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. where he holds or has held several local,

regional, and national offices including Chapter President (Toledo Chapter), Past Ohio District Director

and Immediate Past National Chairman of Leadership Development. He currently serves as the Senior

Pastor of Transformation Church in Toledo. He holds a Bachelors of Arts in HR Management, Master of Organizational Leadership and is currently a

candidate for a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Higher Education.

Brandon is happily married to Tia Nicole and the father of Layla Grace.

Let's go! Ya favorite podcast is back! Welcome to Season 2 of Just A Thought with your hosts Dr. Chukwuemeka Ikegwuonu and Dr. Leila Ellis-Nelson. It was dope as hell to meet with Dr. Suraju Jolaoso to talk more about education, mentorship, closing the gap of achievement and holistic support, and recognizing how to let others know just how phenomenal you are! We can't wait for you to hear this one.

Suraju Jolaoso is a doctoral candidate in his third year with Baylor University's online Learning & Organizational Change program. His dissertation topic focuses on the perceived efforts and effectiveness of recruiting and retaining Black faculty at predominantly white institutions (PWIs). Suraju also works for an online program manager, providing service to online students in other graduate programs.

Allanté is a proud Detroit native. In 2007, she left Detroit to attend the illustrious North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University to study Biological Engineering. It was there she discovered her love for research and chose to pursue a career in academia. She went on to earn an M.S. in Biological and Agricultural Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Afterwards, she led the McNair Scholars Program at Wayne State University before leaving to pursue a joint Ph.D. in Civil Engineering and Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. Her research focuses on uncovering the environmental and social implications of autonomous vehicle technology. She looks at how cities can equitably integrate automated mobility into public transportation. Through her podcast and community, Blk + in Grad School, Allanté chronicles her experience as a Black woman navigating academia. She melds her passion for education and engineering by providing encouragement and tools for women and people of color to successfully navigate the graduate education journey. In her leisure, Allanté enjoys traveling and listening to podcasts,. instagram: instagram.com/blkingradschool art: attached headshot: attached website: blkingradschool.com link to podcast: blkingradschool.com/podcast

Name: Monica Evans Pronouns: she/her Education: Vanderbilt University BS Child Development/Medicine, Health & Society - Health Behaviors Concentration 2015; University of Pennsylvania Accelerated BSN 2017; University of Pennsylvania CNM/WHNP Program (Expected Graduation: Dec 2020) Home State: Tennessee Midwifery Interest: Full Spectrum Care, Addressing Black Morbidity & Mortality For as long as I can remember, I have always known that I wanted to work in health care in some capacity. It wasn’t until undergrad that I realized I wanted to help advocate for women and grow families. Midwifery was something I had never truly considered as an avenue that would allow me to explore those passions until an opportunity to become a volunteer doula presented itself during my junior year at Vanderbilt. It took a few months of being on call before I had my first experience assisting a birth, but after meeting that first family I was hooked! I was nearly done with my undergraduate degree at this point, so I knew that in order to become a nurse-midwife I would have to enter an accelerated program. After graduating from Vanderbilt, I took a year off in order to work towards the goal entering of nursing school. During this time, I was able to volunteer as an abortion doula at an amazing clinic called CHOICES back home in Memphis, TN. That experience allowed me to see the glory of full-spectrum sexual and reproductive health care. I moved to Philadelphia to begin Penn’s ABSN program in 2016, and after graduation, I began working as a nurse on Pennsylvania Hospital’s postpartum floors. My goal is to work in a full spectrum midwifery practice and to work against the many structures that have created the maternal morbidity and mortality crisis that Black women in America continue to face. This overarching goal is what pulled me towards midwifery initially, and it is what will continue to drive me as I embark on my career.

If they gone talk about you it better at least be accurate. Let @valor_love (IG) help you understand the importance of telling your OWN story, reclaim YOUR history, and encourage you to keep yo foot on they necks at all times when it comes to putting some respek on the history of OUR people. #JustAThought @leilaellisnelsonpsyd @chukwu__1906 @justathought_el Check out her work while you’re at it: www.valenciaclement.com Poetry collections are available on the site at the following link: https://valenciaclement.com/poetry/books-by-valencia/ Pale. Pa Ale: Speak. Don't Leave https://www.amazon.com/Pale-Pa-Ale-Speak-Leave-ebook/dp/B07M66DJBZ/ref=pd_sim_351_2/133-8151446-3728660?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07M66DJBZ&pd_rd_r=ea5f107d-1937-48f0-8105-68cf64f6a9df&pd_rd_w=3tUHL&pd_rd_wg=XcCgW&pf_rd_p=9fec2710-b93d-4b3e-b3ca-e55dc1c5909a&pf_rd_r=ZYKVVJK3ZZZMNXAHJ7VZ&psc=1&refRID=ZYKVVJK3ZZZMNXAHJ7VZ Sonje: Take your medicine. Tell your truth.: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WVTBB5D/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i1 Atansyon: The Colonizers Have Brown Skin" https://www.amazon.com/Atansyon-Colonizers-Have-Brown-Skin/dp/B0851M4DFR/ref=sr_1_1dchild=1&keywords=atansyon&qid=1587234438&sr=8-1