Phenomenal Michigan Woman: Jada Wright-Green - Persistence, Passion, Perseverance

“I’m a Southern Belle living in the Mid-West”, the creator of HeritageSalon.com proudly proclaims. Meet Jada Wright-Greene, a woman who is passionate about the subject of Museum Studies, and in particular, African American museums and their promotion within America’s Black communities. 

Born in Philadelphia, her early experiences shaped the leader she would become. As a child, her values were heavily influenced by Southern traditions and respect for history, through her maternal grandmother’s involvement in activities such as cotillions, and her mother’s yearly trips. Every summer, during vacations from school, she and her mother would travel, and each trip always involved a city tour. These activities planted the seeds that would grow into a love of history, historic architecture and specifically, Black history. 

When Jada was fifteen, she took a college tour, and fell in love with historic homes. But, despite this passion, her initial focus as a college freshman was elsewhere. “Ever since I was little, I thought about being a lawyer. It was just something that I always thought I wanted to be," she said. But, it did not take long before, “I realized that it was not what I wanted to do in life”, after all.

A true epiphany manifested in 2003. “By that time I had volunteered a lot of hours in historic homes. That year, I received a research grant from Michigan State University, and while reading through a book about the five homes I was visiting, American Historic Places: The African Experience, I saw my name listed in the acknowledgements!” It was confirmation that she was meant to follow this path. Jada found out about the Urban and Regional Planning Degree at MSU, then discovered the field of Museum Studies. It fit her perfectly, to the point that, as she said, “It was all I thought about!”

The future entrepreneur also met her husband, a fellow MSU student, that year. They graduated at the same time, with Jada receiving a Masters of Science Degree in Urban and Regional Planning, with a Certificate in Museum Studies. Although thrilled about accomplishing such an important milestone, she was upset to discover that she was the first African American to graduate from the Museum Studies program. This prompted a nagging question that would impact her future work: “Why aren’t more African Americans involved in this field?”

With two years at the Michigan Historical Museum as an Educational Assistant, added to her previous volunteer work, Wright-Greene was certain that she had enough experience to land a job, once she moved to Detroit “I just knew that I would get a museum job. I had over 100 hours of volunteer work in my first two years in college,” she said. 

Although she did not find a position right away, eventually, “I discovered First Congregational Church Underground Railroad Living Museum.” She became their Assistant Director, but when funding dried up, realized that it was time to move on. In 2005, she became an Education Coordinator for the Sphinx music organization, and is now Director of Education and Youth Development.

While she enjoyed her work with the organization, her focus on museum studies never diminished. Over time, the idea of a blog percolated. “The blog came in through pushing from my husband. I started putting my writings together," she said, and in 2010, officially released HeritageSalon.com. “My goal was to try and reach as many people as possible. So many people don’t know about African American museums and that there is such a thing as museum studies as a profession," she said. 

Although many African Americans do frequent museums around the country, when compared to other racial groups, they lag behind in yearly attendance. Wright-Greene is on a mission to change this, and a huge part of that plan involves becoming Dr. Wright-Greene. She hopes to earn a Ph.D. in African American Studies, with a concentration in Museum Studies. “I want to teach museum studies courses and study why more African Americans aren’t visiting. I want to be a director so that I will be in a position to recruit more people into the field," she said.

With her passionate determination despite life’s curveballs, there is no doubt that Jada will accomplish every goal that she has set. It is, after all, what we have come to expect, from a true Phenomenal Michigan Woman.

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Sunday, December 26, 2010

Phenomenal Michigan Woman: Marcia C. Davis - Counselor, Professor, Scholar, Mother, Ageless Pioneer

Soon-to-be Ph.D. Marcia C. Davis, began life in New York, but grew up in Detroit. Her father worked at Ford Automobile Company, and her mother worked at Saks Fifth Avenue, Henry Ford Hospital, and retired from the Board of Education as a chief cook at Murray Wright High School.

“I was closer to my dad than to my mother. She was a disciplinarian, he was easier to talk to. She could handle some money, though. She always believed in paying herself first," she said.

Davis recalled having many sibling relationships ... yet she was an only child! Her aunt had eight children, and Davis said, “She really claimed me as her ninth child.” Then, at age 11, her life suddenly changed: Her parents divorced, and she and her mother moved to another part of the city.

Although she maintained close relationships with her father and cousins, “It was sort of traumatic for me. Where we moved, at that time, there were mainly Greeks living in that part of Detroit. We were among the first Black family to move there. Suddenly, I had no friends, no family.” Eventually, however, she developed close friendships with two of her new peers, Athena and Andy. 

Determination, Drive, Flexibility, Focus

Marcia’s life continued to take unexpected turns. “I wanted to be a medical doctor. I became pregnant when I was fifteen years old. In those days, they didn’t have a place for young mothers (to receive an education). I had to come out of school, but got my GED.”

Initially she worked with the U.S. Postal Service, then in sales, first in real estate, then insurance, and finally car sales, where she was a pioneer. “I was the first Black female to sell foreign cars in the state. I sold Volkswagens, the first Honda Accords, and the first diesel V.W. Rabbits.”

She completed an Associate Degree in Liberal Arts from Oakland Community College, then a Bachelors of Science Degree from Wayne State University, majoring in criminal justice, and minoring in psychology. During those years, she worked in senior housing at Village Green, managing multiple buildings. 

Davis wanted to graduate school right away, but after a couple classes in the Humanities Department, became frustrated when the Dean stated that the degree would be limiting, because she would always have to defend its merits. Then a girlfriend told her about the counseling program in the school of education at Wayne State, which lead to the completion of her Masters Degree in Counseling. 

While in graduate school, Davis became a probation officer. She also worked with children and young adults at Aurora, under Michigan Osteopathic Hospital (MOH), and with dual diagnosed adults at Margaret Montgomery. 

“I did MOH on the weekends. That’s how I paid for grad school," she said. "I was considered a mental health worker. I also worked the crisis line for about four years in Wayne County.”

“I Now Realize That I Am In My Second Career”

On July 1, 2006, Davis retired from the court as a supervisor, and discovered the University of Phoenix, “by happenstance. I had no intention of teaching. I never even thought about it. I didn’t know I could, and definitely not at the college level.” 

But once again, life took an unexpected turn. That summer, while on a spa trip with a women’s investment group, she said, “The subject of school came up. We each started describing our backgrounds and graduate degrees, and one lady (affiliated with University of Phoenix) looked at me and said, ‘We are looking for people with your credentials.’ I completed the certification in December 2006, taught my first class in 2007, and have been teaching non-stop every since.” 
 

“I had two marriages and two children," Davis proudly declared when discussing her greatest pride and joy. Her son has two Masters degrees, is working on his Ph.D., and teaches at the University of Phoenix in their Department of Criminal Justice. His daughter, Marcia’s granddaughter, is currently working on her Ph.D., and Marcia’s daughter has been in her career with the airlines for 25 years. 

In addition to teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in the Social Sciences Department at University of Phoenix, Davis is also in her first year as a Ph.D. candidate at Walden University, in the Counselor, Education and Supervision curriculum, with a specialization in Consultation. 

“The Ph.D. has been in the back of my mind ever since I got my masters," she said. "But, when I attended the 2007 American Counseling Association conference, I was so struck by the number of Ph.D.s, and Black Ph.D.s. And then when I saw so many Black men (with Ph.D.s), I was so proud! That was when the desire really kicked in. I now realize that I am in my second career.”   
 

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Dr. Angela Celeste May, native Detroiter and world traveler, double majored in voice performance and psychology, earned a Bachelors of Music Degree from Marygrove College, a Master of Arts Degree in Clinical and Humanistic Psychology from Center for Humanistic Studies, and a Doctorate of Philosophy Degree (Ph.D.) in Clinical and Organizational Psychology, with sub-specialties in Neuropsychology and Forensic Psychology from The Union Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is CEO/co-founder of A.M. May & Associates, Inc., a counseling and consulting company, and CEO/founder of Celeste Productions, Inc. Dr. May produces and hosts: "Made in Detroit. Celebrating Detroit’s Entrepreneurial Spirit", Mondays 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., on fm881whpr.com, (requires a media player). A band leader, professional vocalist/instrumentalist, producer/arranger and recording artist, she appears live in concerts. Her debut album, "No Limits", was released in 2007. Also, she has produced and co-directed video and film, is a music coach, and public speaker. A professor of graduate and undergraduate psychology and counseling studies at University of Phoenix, Southfield, Michigan campuses, Dr. May released her first full length book, "Freedom: What Is The Experience Of Living Without Negative Self-Imposed Limitations?" in July, 2009. 

For inquiries regarding Celeste Productions, Inc. CelesteMus1@aol.com

For Inquiries regarding A.M. May & Associates, Inc. Maybiz@aol.com
For all other inquiries, please contact Dr. May at: acmrds2@aol.com
To purchase her CD: cdbaby.com/angelacelestemay

To purchase her book: xlibris.com/freedomfromlimitations 
Celeste Productions, Inc. merchandise: cafepress.com/celesteonline 
For more information about Dr. May and her various projects: reverbnation.com/angelacelestemay, myspace.com/angelacmay, Face Book Fan Page, Youtube.com/AngelaCelesteMay and Twitter.com/Celestemus1