Relationships are an important part of my social development. We it comes to as I was growing up my relationship with my teachers impact my life because they aloud me to see that I could become something in life. Having a family with a relationship like they had made me a better student, they looked at the whole me. So today I try to develop positive relationships with families so that they can develop the same with their children
Deloris Ragin Felder: A mother of four children and one husband. Having to leave school at the age of 16 to raise her sibling so that her mother and father could work and provide for the family vowed that her children would complete high school and become more then her…. I being the first of her child to talk about going to college said to me whatever it takes if that’s what you want to do i will make it happen and that she did. Haven’t worked in many years in 2003 set out to fine a job so that I could go to college and become great. For the five years I was in college see worked and I never had to wonder where I was going to get anything from. She looked at me in my last year of school and said “It’s not the time to give up now history is riding on your shoulders.”
Thomas Lee Felder Sr.: The father of four great children and husband of one awesome woman. My father have to drop out of school at the age of 12 to go to work to help his family make ends meat haven’t stop yet… My daddy as I call him has planted in me the value of hard work and what will happen if you work hard. As we were riding down the road one day he looked, we had a long talk about becoming what people say you would not be. He told me the story of how he was told because of his educational background he would never own anything. He said but when you pull up on the land you call home that belongs to me and your mother, the house you stay in that belong to use, and even the cars we drive belong to us. So always remember that hard work will get you where others say you can’t go.
Rena Mae Ragin: My big sister and second mother. Rena is single mother of three (3) great children Lionel, Marquetta and Nadrian. I call her my other mother is because we are 16 years apart and her oldest child and I are three years apart. When you saw her you saw me tagging along for the ride. The thing that my sister would always tell me is that I can become what I wanted. When I began to talk about going to college she looked at me with tears in her eyes and said, “go become what they said we want become.” She pushed me when I was ready to give up on my dreams and goals.
Thomas Lee Felder Jr.: The one that taught me how to fight for myself. This is my big brother he is the father of four children Donta, Aaliya, DJ, and Zi”Quajah (my baby). He calls his self the smarts of my parent’s children. He would always call me the brains of the family. When I was getting ready to drop out of college he told me “that he would sit at the gate with a gun if and not let me out because I was doing something no one else in our family tree have done.” That pushed me to and had me nervous so I had to fight out that last year of school.
Vanesha Almeda Felder: The baby of my parent’s four children. Nesha is a senior in high school and the mother of on child Nevaeh. I was her teacher at home. My parent would make me help her with her homework. She would always say to me big bruh your going to be great.
Leola Ragin Parks: One of my mother’s sisters. My aunt was the one that they would call at school when I was acting out (lol). When she would come from her office she would tell me “that’s not how great people act.” Then she would turn around and go back to her office and call my mother. The Village Affect! Got it at school then once I walked in the door at the house.
Pastor Eartha B. Carter: The pastor of Prayer House Mission Holiness Church. She is the husband of one man Perry Carter for over 15 years. My pastor always encourages me to become the person God has call me to be. She taught me the being a teacher is a spiritual gift for God. With the Father working long side me I can become great. In addition, she would always let me know and others the “Jesus will turn it around what the devil meant for our bad”.
Ms. P. Nelson: My tenth grade high school homeroom teacher. There is so much I can say about Ms. Nelson that I will hold back because tears come to my eyes. I can remember my 11th grade year of high school when on of my teacher told me I wasn’t going to be anything. P. Nelson pulled me aside and said these powerful words “Use what she just to you as your stair case to becoming a great person in the field of education”. In 2006 the Father called her home to be with Him and I miss her dearly.
These are just a few member of the Village that had a hand I raise this power black educator.
Leo F. Buscaglia quotes
