Dr. Valora Washington

Dr. Valora Washington is truly an inspirational person. Growing up in a segregated community but later being able to travel around the world makes her one of the most victorious black women living today.

Dr. Valora Washington was born in Columbus, Ohio, which was very segregated at the time. Seeing that her schoolbooks were second-hand from the white kid's schools didn't stop her from dreaming. When her fifth grade teacher, Ms. Banks, asked her class what they wanted to be, whatever they said, Ms. Banks would tell them to go farther than that. This really motivated Dr. Valora Washington to become what she is today. High school was another experience for her. Fifty percent of the high school was made up of white people and the other half contained black people.

Growing up she never felt like she couldn't accomplish anything because of her gender or because all institutions were based on race. Regardless of who assumed that she couldn't do this and she couldn't do that because she was black, she was determined to prove them all wrong. Church played an extremely important role in her life. As challenges, such as drugs in her school, arose, Dr. Valora Washington kept her head on her shoulders, and never let that interfere with her triumph.

Even though they were divorced, Dr. Valora Washington's was raised within a large and loving extended family network. Her parents were great role models for her. Her mother was a nurse's aid who decided that she wanted to do something better in her life. She decided to go back to college and at times Dr. Valora Washington and her mother would be doing homework together. It was quite an experience for her as her mother ended up getting numerous degrees. Her father didn't live far away and was always there for Dr. Valora Washington to depend on as well.

Attending college was the next step for Dr. Valora Washington. She received her Bachelor's degree at Michigan State University and her Doctorate Degree at Indiana University. Majoring in anthropology, African studies and social sciences, Dr. Valora Washington evaluated her alternatives before she stuck with social sciences and became engaged in the early childhood of children. She is currently working as an independent consultant, serving primarily in two roles: as the Director of the Center for Children, Families and Child Policy at Lesley College and as Consulting Director of Early Childhood Programs at the Schott Foundation.

Her accomplishment, which she feels most proud of, is her work called "Families for Kids" which works to find permanent homes for foster children. She believes that early childhood is the first chance to make the changes in the life of a child.

When asked what her aspirations were before she became what she is today, she said that she always wanted to be involved in education and children. Always having the spirit of wanting to work with children, Dr. Valora Washington feels that this is her place in life. Being invited to experience a luncheon at the White House in honor of her work and traveling to over thirty countries so far, she still has other goals that she wants to fulfill.

Throughout her childhood, education, jobs and travels, Dr. Valora Washington has maintained an exceptionally astonishing life.

Where is she now?

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