My H(er)story

I was born and raised on the south side of Chicago in the Roseland community. My mother was a working mom—a City of Chicago employee and a Precinct Captain in the 34th Ward. She was very invested in our community and city, which meant plenty of early mornings and late nights. This also meant that I needed to learn responsibility and self-discipline at a very young age. In February 1995, this reality was compounded when I became a mother at the age of 8. My sister, one of my greatest blessings, was born. As one of Jessica’s primary caretakers, I was responsible for feeding her, clothing her, bathing her, helping her with her homework, doing her hair, getting her to and from school, and most importantly I kept her safe and tried to be a good role-model. This level of responsibly was intense (as any parent can attest), yet fulfilling at the same time; and of course, it presented some of the most obvious challenges and relationship strains. However, the lessons that I was forced to learn, the pressure that I was under to always do things the right way, the level of awareness that I needed to maintain, and the mindfulness and selflessness that I was charged to practice allowed me to hone a certain set of characteristics that my friends did not acquire until much later in life. I learned to persevere, to be determined in all things, to never leave anyone behind, to be a leader even when I don’t want to… to share, to pray, to mentor, to hold others accountable, to be reflective in my actions, to make something out of nothing…  

Growing up on the Southside of Chicago and attending Chicago Public Schools (CPS) for the majority of my childhood also played a huge part in who I am today. School and those Roseland streets taught me to be resilient, quick, hungry, sharp, and fearless, as I was constantly exposed to certain realities that forced me to be so. Every time I speak on where I grew up—112th,  Roseland, Wild Hundreds, Chiraq— no matter what it’s called, I am grateful that I can call it “home”. I am not who I am despite where I come from, I am who I am because of where I come from. I am a product of my environment in the best ways possible. Humble beginnings, a praying mother, and a really great teacher worked against all of the odds that were stacked against me.

Speaking of “a really great teacher,” I had one. Of course, I’ve probably had really effective teachers, but “great” is an adjective reserved for teachers like my high school Language Arts teacher. Ms. Murdock not only taught me, but she also took the time to see me. It’s no secret to those who are closest to me that I wasn’t an exemplar student. In fact, many would argue that I was the furthest thing from “exemplar,” and I wouldn’t necessarily feel compelled to disagree. Nevertheless, when other teachers basqued in my absence from school, or pretended not to notice that I was ditching class or asleep during instruction, Ms. Murdock sent a different message. She was hard on me and kept her expectations high; she kept my mother informed of my behavior, attendance, and grades; she preached and mentored to me about using my intelligence and wisdom constructively; she showed empathy and patience when my grandmother passed away; she forced me to apply to college. Ms. Murdock showed me she cared—everyday, even when it was hard. She was the type of teacher that all kids deserve and need. I thank God for her and the way in which she has touched my life and inspired me to be the educator and advocate that I am today.

Upon graduating from high school, I was accepted into the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (with Ms. Murdock’s help of course). I majored in Advertising and Finance, and joined a host of programs dedicated to serving the African-American student population on campus. In my junior year, I became a Big Sister with “Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America.” I recall the excitement that I would feel after seeing the light bulbs go off while tutoring my fellow peers, or the tears in Shannon’s (my Little Sister) eyes when she walked across the stage at her 8th grade graduation ceremony. Service and mentorship has always been a part of my core. 

After graduating in 2009, I embarked upon my career as a financial advisor with Chase Bank while also obtaining my MBA in 2011. I wasn’t quite sure what career or profession I felt genuinely connected to, but I was sure that my ultimate goal was to make enough money to live well, travel the world, and take care of my family. And for a while, I was very successful in that endeavor. For a few years, I worked in several professions in hopes of finding my true place in the world—ranging from advertising, to marketing, to healthcare, to real estate. 

It wasn’t until one crisp March evening that I found my calling while tutoring at my neighborhood Boys and Girls Club on the south side of Chicago. After seven months of helping kids reach new potential, I realized that I wanted to do much more than tutor a few students after school. I wanted to have a larger impact on the lives of underserved students—students who reminded me of myself 20 years ago. That was when I decided to follow my heart and I joined the teacher residency program with the Academy of Urban School Leadership (a turnaround program partnered with Chicago Public Schools), while also acquiring my Masters of Education. Interestingly, I completed my teaching residency in the same school that my mother and uncle attended as children–Curtis School of Excellence, located just four blocks away from the house I’ve called “home” for my entire life. Pouring back into the community that poured so much into me has thus far been one of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences of my life. 

The following year in 2013, I became a 5th grade English Language Arts and Humanities teacher at Carter School of Excellence in Chicago during its first year as a turnaround school. I went on to become an anchor teacher and instructional leader for 4th - 8th grade ELA teachers. At Carter, I worked alongside some of the most dedicated and effective teachers I’ve ever met. They taught me almost everything I know about excellent teaching. Ms. Carmel Perkins, the Principal, also modeled what the relentless pursuit of excellence looks like as a school leader. She pushed her team and held each of us accountable for doing right by the students we served. It would truly be an understatement to say that my time at Carter School of Excellence made me a good teacher. Carter made me so much more than that. In fact, Carter made me understand just how critical it is for students in underserved communities to have committed, passionate, culturally responsive teachers. Teachers like Ms. Murdock. Teachers like the ones I wish I had in every grade at every school that I attended. Carter and all of the students who have touched my life, inspired me to continue to work towards having a wider sphere of influence so that I may spark the much needed change for the hundreds of thousands of children who happen to live in the wrong zip code or have the wrong skin color or fall within the wrong socioeconomic status. 

In 2016, I moved to Cleveland and joined the Breakthrough Charter School Network as the Founding Principal of E Prep Willard - a beacon of hope for the high-need Cudell neighborhood. Prior to our school's opening, every K-8 campus in this westside community was devastatingly underperforming based on state report cards. This harsh reality ignited an undeniable sense of urgency within me to address the glaring injustices and inequities permeating our education system.

“Humble beginnings, a praying mother, and a really great teacher worked against all of the odds that were stacked against me.”

As Principal, I took personal responsibility for creating heightened awareness while equipping my team with the mindsets and tools to effectively educate our most vulnerable students. We worked tirelessly to instill culturally relevant pedagogy, leveraging our shared backgrounds to build meaningful connections with scholars and families. Through coaching, high-impact professional development, and data-driven initiatives, we raised the bar for academic excellence. My four years leading the founding of E Prep Willard were marked by tremendous academic gains, operational excellence, and a reinvigorated community embracing the transformative power of an equitable education. We proved that students can transcend socioeconomic limitations when provided an environment that awakens their brilliance. This experience solidified my conviction that all children deserve high-quality teachers and leaders who reflect their identities and circumstances.

Thus, in 2021, when I packed up my principal office and headed to Atlanta, Georgia with my husband, I joined KIPP Metro Atlanta Schools to expand my impact as the regional Achievement Director of Secondary Literacy and Head of Schools. Inspired by all of the passionate educators whom I had encountered along my journey, I soon after founded a boutique consulting firm, The Enriched Educator (T.E.E.). My work at KIPP and T.E.E. has positioned me to learn, lead, and advise alongside some of the most dedicated and hardworking change agents in the education sector, transforming the futures of our next generation through leadership and advocacy.

My calling as an educator has helped me write some of the most inspiring chapters of my life story. And, while my path has been nontraditional, every zigzag is intersected with the lessons of resilience, service, empowerment and pure grit from my Roseland roots. I'm honored to pour that same spirit back into the communities that nurtured my growth. This is my life's calling - to spark change for kids regardless of zip code, skin color or socioeconomics. Just like Ms. Murdock did for me.