LEGACY

BY WALLACE CALEB BATES 

Today, I had the privilege of moderating Legacy of Education Across Generations, a Black History Month celebration that honored the impact of educators and mentors across different generations.

The event brought together an incredible panel featuring Kera Howard, Steven Jones, and Ludrenia Hagans-Shepherd. Each shared invaluable insights on the power of education, mentorship, and community leadership.


This conversation was not just about the history of education but the ongoing legacy being shaped every day by dedicated educators and leaders.


Each panelist brought a unique perspective on how education has evolved, the challenges faced by Black educators and students, and the importance of passing down knowledge and inspiration to future generations.


This discussion was significant for me because of the personal impact Kera Howard has had on my journey.


Throughout high school, she was a guiding influence, helping to shape my growth through her leadership and encouragement. Her continued inspiration of students today is a testament to the lasting power of dedicated educators.


Steven Jones and Ludrenia Hagans-Shepherd also offered powerful reflections on their experiences and the broader significance of mentorship in our communities.


Their words reinforced a truth that cannot be overstated: education is more than just textbooks and classrooms. It is about nurturing potential, fostering resilience, and ensuring that every generation has the opportunity to succeed.


As we celebrate Black History Month, we recognize that history is not just something of the past; it is being written every day by those who teach, lead, and uplift others.


Thank you to Kera Howard, Steven Jones, and Ludrenia Hagans-Shepherd for sharing your wisdom and for the work you do to strengthen our communities. Your dedication continues to inspire, and I am grateful to have been part of this critical conversation.


Let us continue to honor the legacy of education by supporting and uplifting those who guide the next generation.

POPULAR

A NEW START - AN ENTRY FROM MY HEART

BY WALLACE CALEB BATES As I sit here drinking my coffee this Saturday afternoon, looking out the window at the snow-blanketed ground and my dog frolicking through the yard (I love the word frolicking!), I am reminded of how the world outside our homes can fill with joy and pain, happiness and sadness, and other contrasting emotions.  At the start of this new year, I set a few small goals that were aligned with James Clear's framework in Atomic Habits : incremental, small changes that will lead toward steady progress. Among these goals are making my bed each day, listening to or reading scripture each day, and journaling each day.  This blog site is part of the last effort mentioned above. I plan to use it as a public-facing journal in which I share my thoughts regarding topics of varying natures. Some of them will discuss my faith, my profession as a higher education public relations professional, my academic pursuits as a scholar, and my perspective as an Appalachian living i...
READ MORE | | |

FREE SPEECH IN THE DIGITAL AGE — A STRUGGLE FOR TRUTH

BY WALLACE CALEB BATES It is hard to believe that the COVID-19 pandemic's onset is now five years in the past. I will never forget the painstaking experience we endured as a collective people during that time. We faced a public health challenge and an issue involving disinformation unparalleled to any other era in American history.  I try not to compare our modern days to bygone eras. The world has always been dysfunctional, and people have always lied and perpetuated harm against others with whom they disagree. However, social media platforms have only existed for a relatively short time. Social media, serving in its often-watchdog capacity, could have prevented some of our most widespread stains against humanity.  Perhaps world leaders would not have turned their backs on the horrible occurrences in Hitler's Germany during the late 1930s; possibly, the slave trade would have never unjustly brought oppression to generations of African people and their descendants in the Ameri...
READ MORE | | |

PROTECT AND DEFEND

 BY WALLACE CALEB BATES On the eve of another inauguration, I am pondering what it means to be an American. The peaceful transfer of power is a hallmark of American democracy, an event we can anticipate every four years that ensures our voice leads a government created by the people, for the people, and of the people. At noon tomorrow, a new president and vice president will swear in to begin their terms, taking an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America, a breathing, living document that has enshrined the rights of the people into America's foundation. This moment, while steeped in ceremony, reminds us of the enduring strength of our republic and our responsibility to safeguard it. As President Joseph R. Biden recently said, "Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power, and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead." A po...
READ MORE | | |