John Rucker: How Pet Dogs Inspired An Environmental Startup
Twenty years ago, John Rucker, an English teacher, would take his dogs for hikes and noticed they would bring him box turtles. Soon, Rucker and his four-legged team were in demand by universities and wildlife conservation groups for their tracking ability. Humans have difficulty spotting box turtles in tall grass, and the turtles are prized, […]
Jonah Larson: Crotchet Artist
At five years of age, Jonah Larson discovered a crochet hook and a YouTube video tutorial and went on to compete and win crotchet contests. Seven years later, the business owner, philanthropist, and author of two books is flourishing. And Jonah has raised funds to build a library and science lab for peers back in […]
Wanona Satcher: Entrepreneurship and Social Justice Causes
Atlanta, Georgia, entrepreneur Wanona Satcher, founder and CEO of Makers Studio offers insights about combining one’s talent with a social justice cause in a September 2020 Inc. magazine article. Satcher develops affordable housing using modular shipping container manufacturing and her words might well have been a speech to high school or college students about how […]
West African Dance: Diversity and Collaboration
Taken at face value, the YouTube video below is about enjaillement and determination. Enjaillement is a West African word meaning, in part, hanging out and having a good time, according to the Urban Dictionary. Now, I am not pointing fingers but someone in the video is bound and determined to master West African dance from […]
Bellen Woodward: Fourth Grader Creates Multicultural Art Kits
Through her More Than Peach Project, a fourth-grader creates art kits with multiple skin tones. This is a wonderful story about a then third-grader who first admitted to herself her discomfort over an issue in her classroom. As the only African American student, it was commonplace for other classmates to ask for the “skin color […]
Rachel Barton Pine: Discovering Forgotten Black Composers
Acclaimed violinist, Rachel Barton Pine, has spent nearly 20 years searching for music written by forgotten Black composers. And more than 350 composers spanning four centuries have been cataloged. A lot has never been published or was published but is long out of print because of historical discrimination, says Pine. “My primary motivation is to […]
Issac Harte: Funny Tutorial by Teen Fact Checker
This laugh-out-loud video hosted by Issac Harte is educational and entertaining. And it underscores the serious subject of media literacy and how to evaluate information online. Topics such as fact-checking tools and a reminder the internet is fair game for bogus videos and information and how to spot real from phony. Poynter.org is a resource […]
Famous Black Inventors: How Much Do You Know?
Updated 11/1/ 2024 According to Professor Randall Robinson, they trot out the story of George Washington Carver and his peanut discovery every February. And all the many, many, many things about the peanut discovery. However, there are an untold number of other Black inventors who are not mentioned. Focusing on George Washington Carver solely gives […]
Michelle Penczak: Military Wife Finds A Solution For Lack of Employment
When Michelle Penczak could not find work a few years ago despite her education and experience, the military spouse and expectant mom felt disheartened. The wife of a deployed pilot, she was never able to stay in one place permanently. As is the case with military families, moving from place to place is the norm. […]
How Women Were Driven From A Centuries-Old Industry
In ancient times, brewing ale was a respectable occupation, and women made up many of the brewers in many parts of the world, which later included colonial America. So, why did women lose domination in the beer industry from the 16th century to the present day? Some historians believe male competitors leveled charges of witchcraft […]