I was born and raised in Burlington, Vermont. I am the daughter of a college professor and my mother was the first African American state representative in the state of Vermont. Everywhere I went, I was the only person of color. It was all I knew. This experience shaped me in ways I never knew until I attended SEED in 2013 (Cohort 28A). I was able to put words to some of the experiences I had growing up and being THE minority.

I was first introduced to SEED in 2011 when I began working in Public School District #153, in Homewood, Illinois. After working in a variety of settings, it was amazing to have finally found a place that acknowledged diversity and gave all staff the opportunity to learn how to use the diversity in our population as a stepping stone for lessons and discussions. I have been in places that treated all of the kids as if they all had the same background and level of privilege. I loved every minute of my first SEED year. It was a great way to make connections and to learn how I fit in this particular school community.

I am excited to join the National SEED staff to continue this adventure.