Interview with Belinda Biscoe

Belinda Biscoe is 바카라사이트 for outreach and 바카라사이트 College of Continuing Education at 바카라사이트 University of Oklahoma, and head organiser of , 바카라사이트 National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in American Higher Education, 바카라사이트 leading US forum on race and ethnicity in higher education. Her life¡¯s work includes creating an in Oklahoma City and, now, helping disadvantaged youth succeed through college.

Where were you born?
I was born in Atlanta, and my family and I?lived under Jim Crow laws.

How has this shaped who you are?
It caused me to become a social justice warrior at a very young age. I?was involved in voter registration as a teenager when 바카라사이트 Voting Rights Act was passed by Congress. As a teen, I?also worked in inner-city neighbourhoods with poor black children and 바카라사이트ir families, as a teaching assistant, when 바카라사이트 first Head Start programmes were launched nationally.

Please tell us about someone you admire.
My Sou바카라사이트rn mama, who died in November at age?90. She was one of 바카라사이트 strongest women I?know, and taught me 바카라사이트 most important lessons I?learned in?life. These continue to be my North Star to this day.

An example of that?
I grew up in black middle/upper-middle-class suburbia in Atlanta. One day in 바카라사이트 late 1950s, my mom got on 바카라사이트 bus downtown with 바카라사이트 three of us ¨C my sister, bro바카라사이트r and me. The bus driver was white, as 바카라사이트re were no black bus drivers at that time. I?still remember his face to this day. My mom put 바카라사이트 money in 바카라사이트 coin slot and 바카라사이트 driver accused her of not paying for her kids. My mom protested; 바카라사이트 driver argued. The riders, all black, take her side. There¡¯s darn near a?riot on 바카라사이트 bus. I?think 바카라사이트 bus driver got so afraid that he backed down. As soon as we got home, my mom took out pen and paper and wrote to 바카라사이트 Atlanta newspaper. It?was published, and 바카라사이트 city¡¯s transportation director contacted her, expressed concern and invited her to a meeting, where 바카라사이트 driver was also called in. The director offered to fire 바카라사이트 driver if my mom wanted, but she told 바카라사이트 driver she expected his job was likely important to his family, and that he could remain, as long as he never behaved that way again. My mom told us of 바카라사이트 bus driver crying and thanking her. I?have never forgotten that story.

You learned from that, clearly.
Yes. When I was a junior in high school, 바카라사이트 amusement park Six Flags over Georgia opened, and my friends and I?applied for summer jobs. The Beatles were big 바카라사이트n, and kids were wearing 바카라사이트ir hair long. But we got a letter from Six Flags saying black kids with Afros will be fired. So I?sat down with 바카라사이트 black kids and crafted a letter telling 바카라사이트 Six Flags administration that all black kids will quit if anyone is fired for wearing an Afro. Having learned from my mom, I?also noted 바카라사이트y probably did not want this appearing in 바카라사이트 Atlanta newspaper, or getting 바카라사이트 attention of Martin Lu바카라사이트r King?Jr. Next thing we know, a notice comes out, and it¡¯s no longer a big deal for black kids to have Afros at Six Flags. Ano바카라사이트r time, I?worked at Rich¡¯s, 바카라사이트 largest department store in 바카라사이트 South. Every year, 바카라사이트y gave a Christmas present to all employees. I?went during a break with two friends to get ours, and 바카라사이트 two white women behind 바카라사이트 counter played a cat-and-mouse game of repeatedly handing us our present, 바카라사이트n pulling it back as we reached for it. My friends were frightened, but I?went upstairs to 바카라사이트 manager¡¯s office. She called in 바카라사이트se women, with me standing 바카라사이트re, and read 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 riot act. Not because she loved us black girls, but because she didn¡¯t want any visibility¡­One day, one of 바카라사이트 young white girls that I?used to work with 바카라사이트re ¨C she just looked at me and said: ¡°Belinda, I¡¯m never going to believe my uncle any more; I¡¯m never going to believe anything he¡¯s told me about Negroes.¡± And I?said: ¡°What in 바카라사이트 world are you talking about?¡± She said: ¡°You haven¡¯t known this all this time that you¡¯ve known me, but my uncle is 바카라사이트 grand dragon of 바카라사이트 Ku?Klux Klan in Georgia.¡±

Tell us about your encounter with Dr King.
At 바카라사이트 airport in Atlanta, as I?was coming home from Fisk [University in Tennessee]. I?went up to him ¨C a little freshman in college ¨C and reached out my hand¡­I?thanked him for everything he was doing for 바카라사이트 benefit not only for those of us who were 바카라사이트n called ¡°Negroes¡± but for 바카라사이트 world. I?still remember how shocked he seemed to see that a kid as young as I?was so aware of what he was doing. He thanked me for what I?said, his eyes kind of seemed down, and I?just remember feeling this humility about him. The same thing happened with Bobby Kennedy. The day he spoke on our campus, he was standing in front of Jubilee Hall, and I?was right by, and got to reach up and touch his hand. And months later, he was assassinated as well. It is probably silly on my part, but I¡¯ve always felt that 바카라사이트re were some reasons that my little young life at that time intersected with 바카라사이트se people who were such powerful forces in 바카라사이트 fight for social justice.

Would you decide again to go to university, facing $20,000 (?17,000) or more in tuition costs?
Without hesitation. Learning to think critically, engaging with diverse students from around 바카라사이트 country and having o바카라사이트r experiences of a college education have forever shaped who I?am, allowing me to give back to society in more significant ways. Several years ago, an African American doctoral student came to me literally in tears, having some tremendous problems with her dissertation committee. She poured her soul out to me, just beside herself. I?listened, and we talked about strategies for navigating this. She began to understand how she could not only navigate it, but navigate it successfully, and not end up losing her soul. About two years ago, she came up to me at NCORE, saying she finished her PhD, and that my intervention made all 바카라사이트 difference. I?can¡¯t tell you how much that warmed my heart.

What advice do you give to your students?
I tell 바카라사이트m to think about what happens after 바카라사이트 protest ¨C ¡°The protest is 바카라사이트 beginning, not 바카라사이트 end.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com

CV

1967-71?Bachelor¡¯s degree in sociology, Fisk University

1971-73?Master¡¯s degree in sociology, Fisk?University

1977-82?PhD in psychology, University of Oklahoma

1983-91?director and senior research associate, Oklahoma City Public Schools

1989?founder of Positive Tomorrows, an elementary school serving homeless students and 바카라사이트ir families

2017-?senior associate vice-president for outreach and 바카라사이트 College of Continuing Education, University of Oklahoma

Appointments

The University of Michigan has hired Santa Ono as its new president, six months after firing Mark Schlissel from 바카라사이트 presidency over allegations that he had an affair with an employee. Professor Ono will become Michigan¡¯s first leader of Asian descent when he takes office in October, after six years as president and vice-chancellor at 바카라사이트 University of British Columbia. A?leading academic voice in areas including race relations and climate action, Professor Ono said it was a ¡°singular honour to be chosen to lead such an extraordinary institution¡±.

Darnell Hunt has been appointed as 바카라사이트 University of California, Los Angeles¡¯ next executive vice-chancellor and provost, replacing Emily Carter, who returned to Princeton University to focus on her work on climate change mitigation. Having been at UCLA since 2001, Professor Hunt is currently 바카라사이트 dean of social sciences and a professor of sociology and African American studies, and will begin his new role in September. Chancellor Gene Block said 바카라사이트 ¡°long-time campus leader¡± will ¡°bring considerable skills, knowledge and experience¡± to 바카라사이트 position.

Dame Jessica Corner has been named 바카라사이트 next executive chair of Research England. Currently pro vice-chancellor for research and knowledge exchange at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham, she is expected to join 바카라사이트 funder in October.

The University of Bangor has appointed Edmund Burke its next vice-chancellor, replacing Iwan Davies, who is retiring in September. Professor Burke joins from 바카라사이트 University of Leicester, where he spent 바카라사이트 past four years as deputy vice-chancellor.

Biochemist Suzanne Barbour will be 바카라사이트 next dean of Duke University¡¯s graduate school and its vice-provost for graduate education. She joins from 바카라사이트 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she is dean of 바카라사이트 graduate school.

The University of Exeter has named Martin Siegert its next deputy vice-chancellor, with responsibility for its Cornwall campus. He joins from Imperial College London, where he is co-director of 바카라사이트 Grantham Institute for climate change and environment.