Mom and Education
August 14, 2013
Today my mother would have been 74 years old, and the lessons she taught me as a child still remain with me today. She grew up in a time when opportunities were slim to none; mostly none for women like her. She picked cotton with her brothers and sisters up until she was eighteen years old, which was in 1957. She knew the value of hard work because in her lifetime you either worked hard or you starved. She sang in the church choir on Sundays and cooked for her family every night all of her life and made sure we were taken care of. She never got a chance to pursue her dreams and so she instilled in us the values of responsibility, compassion, self-reliance, to give back more than you take, and to be a bridge builder for others who follow after you. And so I decided as a teenager, I didn’t know when or where or how, that I was going to attain a college degree. I wanted her to be proud of me and so whatever it took, I was going to get it done. My mother believed that education was the key to everything. It opens up opportunities that people don’t even know exist. And so, that’s why I decided to start a scholarship fund for needy students. And since my mother sang in the church choir, I thought as a tribute to her, I would give scholarships to local members of churches throughout Prince George’s County and let the church members decide on the recipients in their respective congregations. It was truly one of the more enjoyable moments in my life watching young girls and boys who were going off to college with these needed funds. I remember giving a scholarship to Ebeneezer AME church where Granger Browning is the Pastor. I remember giving a scholarship to Mt Enon where Delman Coates is the pastor. I remember giving a scholarship to the Spirit of Faith where Mike and Dee Dee Freeman are the pastors. I remember giving a scholarship to From the Heart Ministries where John Cherry was the pastor. And many more churches throughout Prince George’s County. But, it was all because of my mother and what she never had the chance to do. Her light shone bright for a lot of people who never got a chance to know her. Her inspiration to others has caused them to commit acts of kindness that still endure. So although she’s no longer with us, I want to still wish her a Happy Birthday. To those young men and women who received those scholarships, I hope that they pass it on to the next generation. That’s their obligation.
