A Legacy of Leadership and Giving Back with Valerie Wilson Reed

02/12/2024 22 min Episodio 31
A Legacy of Leadership and Giving Back with Valerie Wilson Reed

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Episode Synopsis

Valerie Wilson Reed, class of 1979, shares her extraordinary journey from a fresh-faced student at Marquette to a trailblazer in alumni engagement and mentorship. As a proud African-American woman, Valerie reflects on her roots, the impact of her upbringing, and her enduring connection to Marquette. Over 30 years, she has dedicated herself to fostering inclusivity and empowering others, founding the Ethnic Alumni Association (now Black Alumni Association), publishing Black Marquette, and paving the way for future generations. She also shares her passion for cooking, weaving her southern Creole influences into her cookbooks and YouTube channel, Valcooks Kitchen. Valerie's story is a testament to resilience, community, and the transformative power of mentorship. Her hope for the future is simple yet profound: for alumni of color to return and support the next generation, ensuring that their contributions create lasting change. Listen to Valerie’s inspiring story today!Episode Highlights06:24 - We called it Black Marquette, and inside it were stories. I didn't write anything other than the foreword, etc. But I invited everyone to send in their stories regarding their experience at Marquette. Some people had a great time, others had a difficult time, and some found it very difficult to even write about. But at the end, they were very happy that they did, because it's kind of like a release. And I think it also helped students who were currently going through those issues to realize that you will get past this and come back and change it. 08:06 - Looking at the faces of all the women reminded me that we all came here from somewhere else—unless you're Native American, we all have different stories. One thing that felt strange to me was why it’s on the back of the building instead of the front on Wisconsin Avenue, where everyone could see it and think, “Wow, everybody’s represented here.” 16:44 - The impact that I would like to have, especially for Marquette women of color, is for them to come back and help the young African-American female students that are here. If they don’t come back, everything I’ve been doing for the last 30 years is pretty much lost. If someone has imparted knowledge to you, it’s important to pass it on—that’s what our ancestors would have wanted. That's one of the things that I'm most interested in. Come back and help. We can’t do it alone. Interview:What stories are you going to share with us today, Val? 01:25 - I have a lot of them. So, what would you like to share with us today? 01:5 - Well, I guess the most important thing is I'm a native of Tampa, Florida and I came up to Marquette's site on scene and I did not know that Marquette was going to be not just 4 years, but most of my life.How do you identify, Val? 01:5 - I identify as a very proud African-American female.So how’s that informed the choices that you’ve made in your life? 02:02- There’s a lot of things that are reflected when you’re outwardly an African-American female; you really don’t have a choice. Sometimes people expect you to act a certain way. All I know how to be is myself.Tell us about this path that you’ve taken to get here from a fresh-faced freshman to owner and author.02:27 - I wanted to go far away for college. My parents said I could go as far as my brother. He ended up going to Notre Dame. And so I got a map and a ruler, and I measured from Tampa to South Bend because I’m kind of the defiant one, and ended up in Milwaukee. I knew they loved Jesuit institutions—my brother had attended Jesuit schools—so I thought, oh, Marquette sounds good. They

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