To celebrate Black History Month, we’re uplifting the voices and stories of Illinois Action for Children’s Black female leaders. Here, they answer questions about their influences, their leadership journey, and what Black History Month means to them.
I was born and raised on the West Side near Douglass Park [and] I attended Chicago public schools. I am number nine of a family of twelve siblings. I was the first and only sibling to attend and graduate from college (B.A. in Early Childhood and Special Education) and receive a graduate degree (Master of Public Administration – Nonprofit). After graduation, I began my career in the nonprofit field teaching in early learning and special education programs.
I hate to admit this, but my favorite toys were Barbie dolls (including Christie which preceded Black Barbie) and G.I. Joes….[they] allowed for more creativity and storylines. For example, I could engage a group of my housemates to play out “Land of the Giants” stories.
Ms. Helen Wallace, a physical education instructor, at my high school. She was also the coach of the volleyball and track teams that I participated on. She took personal interest in my academic development and provided exposure to new experiences.
Ms. Wallace supported my effort to go to college, assisting me with applications, financial and scholarship paperwork, and interview preparation. She also did this for several other students at the school. Additionally, she introduced me and others to fine dining (real napkins!), horseback riding, and Chicago theater at her own expense. I have maintained a lifelong relationship with Ms. Wallace (she tells me to call her Helen but I can’t). She’ll soon be turning 88 years old.
After working many years with another youth development organization, my options for continued leadership growth would have required me to relocate from Chicago and I could not do so at that time.
I decided to look for new opportunities in the field of child and youth development. I came across the announcement at IAFC for a director position. The mission statement resonated with me and my passion for partnering with children, families, and communities and supporting investment to help them thrive. I joined the IAFC team in January 2010 in the director role. During my tenure, my career growth included, VP of Programs, Chief Program Officer, SVP of Operations, and Chief Executive Officer in January 2020. In each position, I committed to the work and advancing the mission through continuous quality improvement and innovation. I could not be prouder to serve as the CEO and the first African American to do so.
For me, my work in the nonprofit field and with children has been about contributing to a better society…planting strong fruitful trees to benefit generations that I may not have the honor of knowing…working to make each generation better.
[Black History Month is] an opportunity for the world to celebrate, acknowledge and appreciate the culture of our people and the contributions we have made throughout history and continue to do so today.
