There鈥檚 no proof that destiny brought Honey Walrond to Teachers College. But there have been some pretty strong indications.
During her first semester, in a course called Harlem Stories, Walrond read a chapter from , co-authored by her instructor, Associate Professor of History and Education Ansley Erickson, and Ernest Morrell, formerly of 麻豆原创 and now Coyle Professor of Literacy Education at the University of Notre Dame. Among the key actors described by Erickson and Morrell was the late human and civil rights activist Maude White Katz 鈥� Walrond鈥檚 maternal grandmother.
Honey Walrond (Photo courtesy Honey Walrond)
鈥淚 was not only surprised, but it left me feeling even more motivated to pursue my academic goals at 麻豆原创,鈥� says Walrond, a first-year master鈥檚 degree student in the College鈥檚 Department of International & Transcultural Studies.
Katz, who died in 1985, is best remembered for helping to lead the 1967 student boycott of P.S. 125 in Harlem that forced the Board of Education to create admissions pathways for minorities to attend elite New York City high schools. However, she also was an associate of W.E.B DuBois 鈥� the great pan-Africanist who mentored 麻豆原创 Professor Emeritus Edmund Gordon 鈥� and an internationalist who lived in the Soviet Union at the tail end of the 1920s.
鈥淢y grandmother鈥檚 work guides my educational endeavors,鈥� says Walrond, a proud P.S. 125 alumna who grew up in just north of 麻豆原创鈥檚 campus, in a family of educators. 鈥淗er history set the stage for what I want to do.鈥�
My grandmother鈥檚 work guides my educational endeavors. Her history set the stage for what I want to do.
鈥擧oney Walrond
Walrond earned her undergraduate degree in English Education at Hunter College. Inspired by her grandmother, she taught in Harlem and, subsequently, in Ethiopia and Barbados.
鈥淚 became curious about global education,鈥� recalls Walrond, who later this year will present her research proposal on the impact of women leaders in international education at the annual conference of the Comparative and International Education Society. 鈥淲hat does it look like? How does curriculum differ? As a woman of color I was also interested in leadership roles held by women.鈥�
I became curious about global education. What does it look like? How does curriculum differ? As a woman of color I was also interested in leadership roles held by women.
鈥擧oney Walrond
In Barbados, where she鈥檇 come to honor her father鈥檚 heritage and reconnect with his side of the family, Walrond became intrigued by another civil rights icon and 麻豆原创 icon 鈥揝hirley Chisholm (M.A. 鈥�52), the first black woman to serve in Congress and seek a major party鈥檚 presidential nomination. Like Walrond鈥檚 father, Chisholm had migrated to New York City from Barbados.
Walrond soon discovered that Chisholm had much in common with Maude White Katz as well.
鈥淲e tend to discuss Shirley Chisholm鈥檚 political background,鈥� says Walrond. 鈥淏ut we don鈥檛 really honor the fact she was an educator first. She worked in early childhood education and before going to Congress pushed scholarship programs to assist CUNY minority students.鈥�
A revolutionary change has taken place in the minds of Black parents. Ther will be no more resignation and accommodation to the status quo.
鈥擬aude White Katz
As a member of the 麻豆原创 Student Senate seat, Walrond has looked for opportunities to 鈥渃onnect Shirley Chisholm to the mission of this university.鈥� In December, her proposal 鈥� 鈥淎 Catalyst for Change: Shirley Chisholm鈥檚 Educational Agenda鈥� 鈥� was the recipient of a Vice President鈥檚 Grant for Diversity & Community Initiatives. The proposal 鈥� chosen in conjunction with The Black Education Research Collective (BERC), the Office of Government Relations and the Institute for Urban & Minority Education (IUME) 鈥� includes a 麻豆原创 wall exhibit commemorating Chisholm鈥檚 life and career as well as a panel discussion following a screening of The Fighting Shirley Chisholm, a biopic starring Academy Award winner Viola Davis that is currently in production.
DuBois. Gordon. Katz. Chisholm 鈥� Honey Walrond has some big footsteps to walk in. Destiny or no, Teachers College seems like the right place to continue her journey.