February 28, 2025 • 24 mins
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Black History Icon: Catherine Willis is a member of the Columbus, Ohio Hall of Fame, and her legacy extends far beyond her accomplishments. She co-founded Friends of Art for Community Enrichment (F.A.C.E.) nearly 50 years ago, introducing children to the art and culture of Africa and African Americans. Catherine's passion is to encourage minority students to explore their musical talents. As the founder of Urban Strings, she provides opportunities for young people to develop their skills and love for music. And as Co-Founder of the Helen Jenkins Davis Scholarship Lunch Bunch, she helps make college education a reality for minority students. Catherine’s impact on the community extends far beyond her organizations. She received the prestigious Harrison M. Sayre Award from Columbus Foundation in 2020, recognizing her commitment to empowering African American students in Columbus City Schools.
With a deep-rooted commitment to nurturing young talent, Catherine emphasizes the power of community support, education, and faith in transforming lives. Hear firsthand how her upbringing in a supportive village environment and the lessons learned from her mother, a dedicated teacher, fueled her life's mission to empower underserved children.
Catherine Willis an over 50 year member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. In this episode, learn about the collaborative efforts that have turned these dreams into reality, showcasing the incredible achievements of young talents like Tristan Davis and Red Coltrane Ingram. Catherine's story is a testament to the importance of representation in the arts and the cultural enrichment these initiatives bring to communities.
Celebrate a legacy of service and empowerment as Catherine shares touching anecdotes about former students who have thrived under her mentorship. From a Juilliard graduate making waves in the arts to a plumber inspired by small gestures of kindness, the ripple effect of her work is undeniable. This episode honors her faith-driven journey and the lasting impact of community support, leaving listeners inspired by the profound legacy of empowerment she's built.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
When I was a child, I had to take castor oil, but my
mother would put orange juice ontop of it so that it wouldn't
be so bad.
So what we're doing is, as weteach them the techniques of how
to hold a bow and what to dowith correctly with the
instrument, we're also allowingthem to improvise and play some
of the music that they hear ontheir phones and that kind of
(00:21):
thing phones and that kind ofthing.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Welcome to Be A Baller podcast where we discuss
how to build a lifelong legacy.
I'm your host, coach Tim BrownToday.
I'm excited to have in thestudio with me today a dedicated
community activist, and I callher the mother of the community,
catherine Willis.
Today on the show, mrs Williswill share her experience
growing up and being an educatorin Columbus City Schools.
(00:46):
Mrs Willis has served onnumerous boards in the community
that impact the lives ofchildren and families.
She was co-founder of LunchBunch, which is sponsored by
Helen Jenkins Scholarship Fund.
Today she's the founder ofUrban Strings, a youth orchestra
that started with two studentsand now has had hundreds of
(01:08):
students participating.
Ms Willis has always beendedicated to helping underserved
children and exposing them todifferent opportunities for
growth.
She's also an over 50-yearmember of Delta Sigma, theta
sorority and an alumni member ofTwin Rivers Traveller of the
Links.
She's a faithful member of StPhillips Lutheran Church, having
served on church council andthe worship committee.
(01:28):
Welcome, ms Willis, to Be aBaller podcast.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Thank you, I'm pleased to be here and humbled
and honored.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
That was surely a mouthful to me to get it all in,
but there's so much more thatyou have done and we'll get a
lot of discussions.
Okay, let's jump in.
We're both from the Clevelandarea.
Yes, can you talk about growingup in Cleveland and the life
lessons and really talk aboutthat village during that time?
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Right?
Well, tim, my mother and fatherrelocated to Cleveland from
Georgia because, as you know,those were the times of
suppression and they needed togo somewhere where they would be
able to really be able tothrive and raise a family.
So I was born in Cleveland andone of the things that happened
(02:15):
to us that really was great isthat was at the time that they
were building housing projects,and they built one here, I know,
in Columbus, which was, I think, poindexter Village, and then
they had one they have and hadone in Cleveland called the
Althwaite Homes, and so I grewup in that setting and,
interestingly enough, most ofthe families in that housing
(02:38):
project were two parent families.
There was a father in the homeand everybody was working.
Many of the mothers werestay-at-home mothers, but we had
that whole village concept thatthe parents looked out for each
other and, of course, theylooked out for their children.
So, even though you might not bein the eyesight of your parents
, if you were in the eyesight ofone of those persons that lived
(03:01):
in the project, then you werein trouble.
If you did something youweren't supposed to do and I had
that happen to me a couple oftimes One of the neighbors told
my mother that I was walking onthe grass.
You know that was something wecouldn't do, and of course my
mother did not refute what shesaid.
Whatever the adult said, thenthat was the way it was, and so
I was punished for somethingthat was not supposed to be.
(03:23):
You know, you walk on thesidewalk, you don't walk on the
grass.
So that whole village conceptwas what I grew up with, and my
own personal feeling is thatwe've got to get back to that
again as we work with ourchildren and work with our
community.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
You know you're involved in education.
Yes, You're an educator.
You know you're involved ineducation.
Yes, You're an educator.
And the story goes that whenyou were young, your dad would
say that you were on the porchkind of practicing being a
teacher.
Yes, yes, teaching school sowhy did you want to be involved
in education?
Speaker 1 (03:55):
I guess it's just always been kind of in my blood.
My mother was a teacher andwhat was interesting is that at
the time that she was a teacher,all you had to do was to have
finished high school, and so shewas able to teach school as a
result of just being a highschool educator.
And I've always saw that, andmy parents always made us know
(04:19):
that we had to have an education.
You didn't have a choice whenyou graduate from elementary,
you went to middle school.
When, when you graduate fromelementary, you went to middle
school, when you graduated frommiddle school, you went to high
school.
When you graduated from highschool, you went on to college.
You had to have some kind ofdegree and at that time teaching
was one of the most respectedand the most accessible careers
(04:44):
for us as black people.
So I've always wanted to be ateacher and, would you know,
mimic my teachers when I was onthe porch playing with the other
kids.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
You know what brought you to Cleveland Leaving, you
know, leaving the Browns, oh mygoodness, oh, my goodness.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
I was a first year teacher in Cleveland, had just
graduated from Kent State, and Ihad a friend who was a graduate
of Ohio State.
She had just graduated and shetold me that she wanted me to
come over and play cards onenight because she had a friend
that lived in Cleveland but wasfrom Columbus.
(05:24):
And, interestingly enough, thefriend that she was talking
about was Ed Willis.
And the situation here inColumbus was that there were
only certain schools that ablack teacher could teach in,
and he was a math teacher andthe school which was champion
that he would have qualified toteach in they did not have an
(05:46):
opening and so he had to findwork elsewhere and he was
recruited to come to Clevelandand teach in Cleveland as a math
teacher.
And I met him at that cardparty and so in love and I had
to move to Columbus because hegot a job in Columbus at
(06:06):
Champion when the gentleman thatwas the math teacher retired.
So that's how I got here.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
All kinds of things happen at a car party.
That's right, not just cars.
That's right, that's exactlyright, good, good, good.
You know being a longtimeeducator.
What would you share with youngteachers today?
Speaker 1 (06:29):
One of the things that I think is so important is
that they have got to understandand realize that the children
that they work with come to themfrom all different kinds of
settings settings and don't justlash out and be negative with
(06:51):
the child because you don't knowfrom where they're coming.
And many times and I say thisoften is that until you walk in
someone else's shoes you don'tknow what they've been going
through or what they do gothrough or have gone through.
So I would just say be kind andbe open and just kind of figure
out that most of these childrendon't have any power.
(07:12):
They have to do what the adultsin their lives either show them
, tell them or give them, and soyou know, work with them and
let them know that you aresupportive of them, even when
it's hard, even when they don'twant it.
Just let them know that you'reconcerned about them, because
that's what a teacher is, that'swhat you're supposed to do.
So that's what I would say tothem Just be loving and be open
(07:38):
and be understanding and stop aminute and think.
You know, I have not walked amile in their shoes and so I'm
not sure what they're comingfrom.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
That's good.
That's good, you know.
We also know that you are astrong woman of faith.
Can you talk about why is faithso important to you?
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Well, I didn't have a choice.
When I was growing up, as youknow, I remember we had to go to
Sunday school and then we hadto go to church and then in the
middle of the week, if there waswhat BYPU or some youth group,
we had to be a part of that.
But that was what was practicedin my home.
My mother was not the, shedidn't physically go to church
(08:18):
that much, but my father did.
He was very much involved inthe choir and he was very much
involved in the choir and he wasvery much involved in the
church.
He was a Boy Scout leader, hada troop at his church and he was
one of the few African AmericanBoy Scout leaders that had a
church troop.
And so the church has alwaysbeen a part of my life and I
(08:40):
just never had any choice.
And when you do somethingconsistently for many, many
years, it comes natural.
And I just never had any choice.
And you know, when you dosomething consistently for many,
many years, it comes natural.
And I know from my ownexperiences.
You know that there is a God, Iknow that there's a need for
prayer.
I'm not one to put a Bibleunder my arm and quote
scriptures, but I try to showpeople that I am a Christian and
(09:03):
that I do unto others as Iwould have them do unto me.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Your involvement in the community just speaks
volumes.
The organization that you're apart of and have founded I'm
looking at Friends of Art forCommunity Enrichment and the
Ohio Wesleyan Upward BoundProgram, Outward Bound Program,
Soul Committee, you know, hashelped promote art from National
African American Museum andCulture Center, Wilberforce
(09:29):
University and numerous others.
Can you talk about whycommunity involvement is so
important to you?
Speaker 1 (09:35):
Well, one of the things that I remember is that
as I was growing up, there werea group of women I think they
were called the Junior Board ofPhyllis Sweetly and they were a
group of young women thatreached out into the community
and they embraced a group ofgirls and just taught us and
(09:56):
showed us and participated withus on doing community activities
.
And so I was, I guess, kind oftrained to do that, that when
you are able to do it then youreach back, that whole Sankofa
thing, that not only do you lookback as you move forward, but
you reach back and bring someonewith you.
(10:18):
And so that was all that I wasexposed to.
And so when I had anopportunity or knew that there
would be something that wouldhelp someone, especially young
people, then I would try to be apart of it or help generate
something that would help themBecause someone helped me.
I can't pass, I can't give itto them because they're gone,
but I can pass it on.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
That's great, you know.
Speaking of passing it on, in1997, you were co-founder with
the late Thelma Givens retiredteacher, the Lunch Bunch Group
the Lunch Bunch Group and yougot a sponsor, the Helen Jenkins
Davis Scholarship.
Yes, An organization that'sawarded scholarships for
African-American graduatingseniors from Columbus City
(11:02):
Schools.
When you think about that time,what was the vision behind that
?
Speaker 1 (11:06):
Well, there were quite a few of us that were
around the same age, that hadretired and, of course, if
you've taught school and beenactive for many, many years 25
to 30 years you just can't gohome and sit down because that's
not what you're accustomed to.
So we decided, thelma and Idecided, to get some of the
ladies together that had retiredand let's just go to lunch.
(11:27):
And we did.
You know, we would visit thedifferent art activities or we
would get involved in some ofthe cultural things that were
going on.
And then we just had a kind ofa conversation and say, well,
now you know, what else do weneed to do?
And, of course, with all of ushaving come out of the school
system and knowing what theneeds are, we decided well,
let's see if we can't maybecreate a scholarship for an
(11:52):
African-American graduatingsenior.
And we thought, well, we don'twant to raise money, you know,
we just want to go in ourpockets and make a donation.
Well, that was fine.
Once we decided what we weregoing to do and how we were
going to do it, then we decidedwho would we name it after?
And we decided to reach out andname it after and honor Helen
(12:16):
Jenkins Davis.
And Helen Jenkins Davis wasamong the first African-American
teachers in Columbus CitySchools but, even more important
, she was a major witness in thedesegregation case with Judge
Duncan and helped him make thedecision about the fact that the
school system was out ofcompliance and needed to change.
(12:38):
And so we decided to honor herby calling it the Helen Jenkins
Davis Scholarship.
And up until maybe just beforethe COVID, we decided we were
going to do something different.
We were going to go ahead andhave fundraisers and raise more
money so that we could give morescholarships.
And so for the last two yearstwo or three years because COVID
(13:00):
was involved, so I'll say thelast three years we have been
able to give six $3,000scholarships to deserving
students that are graduates ofColumbus City Schools.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Well, that's awesome.
We know that $6,000, thosedollars really help.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Right right, they go a long way.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
That's right,000,.
Those dollars really help,right right.
They go a long way.
That's right right.
Most recently, you've been thefounder of Urban Strings, a
youth orchestra growing from twoto over hundreds of
participants.
The question is are you amusician?
Speaker 1 (13:33):
No, no, I'm a patron.
No, no, I enjoy music, and whenI was a child, my mother had me
in piano lessons and one of thebiggest mistakes I made was to
beg her to let me stop playing,because I know now that that
(13:54):
certainly would have continuedto enhance me.
I'm thrilled that my daughterplayed.
She doesn't play now, but shedid play and she liked it, loved
it so much until I never had totell her to practice, so that
passed on my mother's dream.
But I'm just a patron of thearts.
I love art, I love things thatdepict and show us at our best,
(14:19):
and we have so many wonderfulartists, so many wonderful
people that have created thingsthat our young people, as well
as our adults, don't know about,and so it's just very important
that those of us that do knowor have access continue to share
that information.
As far as Urban Strings isconcerned, I was a volunteer at
(14:42):
Martin Luther King Library andalso a volunteer at Champion
Middle School, and the librarianhad asked me if I could help
her identify something differentfor Black History Month.
Well, they had just started astrings program at Champion, and
I asked the teacher of thestrings program if she might
have a couple of people or anensemble that could go over and
(15:04):
just play something simple forBlack History Month.
And so she found two girls whoagreed to play, but they went
kicking and screaming.
They didn't want to do it andso they went to the library and
they played and it was soimpressive I thought, well, you
know, there must be other kidsthat look like these, kids that
can play, or should be playing,the string instruments, because
(15:27):
I think statistics show thatmaybe less than 2% of the
musicians that are in string,that are in orchestras and
symphonies are African Americanand minority, and string that
are in orchestras and symphoniesare African American and
minority.
So once I pulled that togetherand reached out and got some of
the kids that I knew in theneighborhood, and then one child
(15:48):
would tell someone else, and sowe've continued to grow.
And I was at a party in Atlantafor one of my friends and the
party was being given by JudgeGlenda Hatchett, and Judge
Hatchett had a young manproviding the music and he was a
string musician playing all ofthis beautiful contemporary
(16:11):
music on string instruments andI thought, oh my God, that's
just exactly what we need.
So his name is David Robinson.
He's a graduate of Morehouse.
Dr Ted McDaniel, who lives herein Columbus, was one of his
teachers when he was atMorehouse and he is a composer
and arranger and he's thefounder of an orchestra called
(16:31):
Stillwater Youth Orchestra inAtlanta, georgia, and he is
wonderful.
He arranges much of our musicand now our kids are playing all
genres of music.
We play jazz, we play sacredmusic, we play spirituals, we
play R&B and we play some rap.
So that's the hook for the kids.
(16:51):
I had to take castor oil, butmy mother would put orange juice
on top of it so that itwouldn't be so bad.
So what we're doing is, as weteach them the techniques of how
to hold a bow and what to docorrectly with the instrument,
we're also allowing them toimprovise and play some of the
music that they hear on theirphones and that kind of thing we
(17:15):
have had.
Maybe 99% of the young peoplethat have come through Urban
Strings have gone on to collegeand we're just really excited
about them not necessarilybecoming musicians but going on
to get a career in music.
We have one young lady now,tristan Davis, is working on her
(17:37):
PhD.
She was a violinist.
One young lady now, tristanDavis, is working on her PhD.
She was a violinist.
We had Red Coltrane Ingram andRed is a graduate of New Albany.
He is a graduate of Juilliardin Columbia.
He is now in California workingas a theater major making films
.
We have two of our young peoplefrom Columbus are at Berkeley.
(17:57):
One is a third-year are atBerkeley.
One is a third year person atBerkeley and we found him at
Ohio Avenue School in a programthat Twin Rivers Chapter of Link
sponsored, an after schoolprogram, and he was a part of
that as a fourth grader.
And so now he's a third yearrising student at Berkeley.
So we're just very excited.
(18:19):
And then we have one young ladythat is from Centennial that
enrolled at Berkeley this yearas a freshman.
So we've got lots of storieslike that of young people that
have come through us and most ofthem started in middle school
as musicians.
So we're excited about that, asmusicians.
So we're excited about that.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
I know also one one of your legacies is those
students that have been in theprogram.
They come back and are nowhelping out.
Yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
That's part of the legacy.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Yes, yes, come back, yes.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
Now it's their turn.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
Yes, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
And that's truly been a blessing.
Yes and I.
You guys playing is totalpraise.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
What is it about that song when it's played?
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Oh, it's beautiful and I view it.
As you know, we talk aboutclassics.
I view that as a classic for us.
It was written by RichardSmallwood, who's still living,
and everybody in all of thechurches that we were part of.
That's one of our signaturepieces.
They love it and we find themsinging along with us.
Total Praise, because it's sucha beautiful piece and the kids
(19:30):
enjoy it and when they play thatkind of music that introduces
them to some of the Blackhistory, that needs to be a part
of their repertoire whenthey're talking and playing this
music.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
That's good.
You know you were recentlyinducted into the Columbus Hall
of Fame, you know.
Can you talk about that honor?
Speaker 1 (19:50):
Well, it was very humbling and I was just almost
in disbelief when Mayor Ginthercalled and told me that I had
been selected.
I was just, I was justspeechless and I'm just very
humbled and very grateful andvery proud and say to others
that I don't take it lightly andI hope that I can be a model of
(20:15):
what needs to happen as youmove forward in life,
interacting and working withothers, especially young people,
acting and working with others,especially young people.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
You know, as we come around the corner and wrap up,
this is a legacy podcast.
So when you think about thatword legacy what does that
legacy mean to you, and talkabout how you have built a
legacy and continue to buildthat legacy, can you talk about
that word legacy?
Speaker 1 (20:45):
Okay, I guess that means there's something that
you're passing on.
One of the things that I wantto be remembered at as I say
this to people, is that I justwant to be remembered as a
person that made the differencein the life of a child, and I
want to pass on the good thingsand the wonderful things and the
positive things that havehelped me to someone else, so
(21:09):
that they can pass it on tosomeone else.
They can't give it back to me,but they can pass it on, and
that's what I would like mylegacy to be.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
Truly I know that's one of your remember someone who
made a difference in the lifeof a child.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
That's right.
You have truly done that.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
That's right, and I'm going to put children on there.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
There's so many, even when you think back to your
days of teaching in theclassroom.
Yes, you know how you made adifference and I'm sure you had
those students.
Yes, that remember.
Yes.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
Oh, I remember you were my teacher.
Yes, yes, yes.
I had a plumber to come to myhouse one day and I opened the
door and he said Ms Willis, youremember me and of course you
know you look different whenyou're five years old than when
you become an adult.
And I said well, no, I don'tthink so.
Tell me your name.
And he told me his name and Iremembered his name.
He said I was in yourkindergarten.
(21:58):
I said you were.
He said yes.
He said yes, and I said well,what did you remember about it?
He said the thing I like bestis that when we did something
that was good and when weaccomplished one of the goals
that you had for us, he said wehad a goodie box and we could go
into the goodie box and takeout something as a reward for
having accomplished that.
He said that's what I rememberand I said oh good, ok, you
(22:21):
remember that goodie box.
That was effective, right, thatwas big, right.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
And those are the ones who now you see them
working.
That's right.
Speaker 1 (22:28):
He was my plumber.
Can you imagine that?
Right, right, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
That's beautiful, that's life Right.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
Right, that's making a difference, that's right.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
That's right.
Of this episode, I want tothank our special guests for
sharing their wisdom of lifelessons that can help empower
the next generation.
I want to thank Ms Willis forbeing a pillar of service in the
community and building a legacyof what I call faith and action
.
It's something we talk about,our faith.
We talk about what Jesus woulddo, but Ms Willis has truly been
(23:03):
faith and action Right.
She's truly been doing thosethings.
They continue to do those thingsRight and so we're just excited
, and I'm sure all thoselistening to this who remember
Ms Willis as their kindergartenteacher, you know they remember
that difference that she made inher life Right right.
So I want to thank the audiencefor joining us during this
enlightening and informeddiscussion on building a legacy
in service.
Hope this episode wasbeneficial to you.
(23:24):
As always, continue to build alifelong legacy.
Thanks, Ms Willis.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
Thank you so much, tim.
Thank you for loving me andthank you for supporting me and
thanking you.
Thank you for just shining thelight on me, as hopefully I can
be a light for someone else.
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
It's my pleasure.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
All right, thanks, ms Willis.
Thank you so much.
It's my pleasure, all right.
Speaker 3 (23:45):
Thanks, ms Willis.
Thank you If you enjoyed ourshow.
Please share this podcast withfamily and friends.
Be a Baller podcast isavailable on all major podcast
stations.
Be sure to come back next weekas we continue to discuss on how
to build a lifelong legacy.
Until then, don't forget to bea baller.
This podcast was created bycoach Tim Brown and produced and
(24:07):
edited by the video productionclass of Worthington Christian
High School.
When I was a child, I had to take castor oil, but my
mother would put orange juice ontop of it so that it wouldn't
be so bad.
So what we're doing is, as weteach them the techniques of how
to hold a bow and what to dowith correctly with the
instrument, we're also allowingthem to improvise and play some
of the music that they hear ontheir phones and that kind of
(00:21):
thing phones and that kind ofthing.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Welcome to Be A Baller podcast where we discuss
how to build a lifelong legacy.
I'm your host, coach Tim BrownToday.
I'm excited to have in thestudio with me today a dedicated
community activist, and I callher the mother of the community,
catherine Willis.
Today on the show, mrs Williswill share her experience
growing up and being an educatorin Columbus City Schools.
(00:46):
Mrs Willis has served onnumerous boards in the community
that impact the lives ofchildren and families.
She was co-founder of LunchBunch, which is sponsored by
Helen Jenkins Scholarship Fund.
Today she's the founder ofUrban Strings, a youth orchestra
that started with two studentsand now has had hundreds of
(01:08):
students participating.
Ms Willis has always beendedicated to helping underserved
children and exposing them todifferent opportunities for
growth.
She's also an over 50-yearmember of Delta Sigma, theta
sorority and an alumni member ofTwin Rivers Traveller of the
Links.
She's a faithful member of StPhillips Lutheran Church, having
served on church council andthe worship committee.
(01:28):
Welcome, ms Willis, to Be aBaller podcast.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Thank you, I'm pleased to be here and humbled
and honored.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
That was surely a mouthful to me to get it all in,
but there's so much more thatyou have done and we'll get a
lot of discussions.
Okay, let's jump in.
We're both from the Clevelandarea.
Yes, can you talk about growingup in Cleveland and the life
lessons and really talk aboutthat village during that time?
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Right?
Well, tim, my mother and fatherrelocated to Cleveland from
Georgia because, as you know,those were the times of
suppression and they needed togo somewhere where they would be
able to really be able tothrive and raise a family.
So I was born in Cleveland andone of the things that happened
(02:15):
to us that really was great isthat was at the time that they
were building housing projects,and they built one here, I know,
in Columbus, which was, I think, poindexter Village, and then
they had one they have and hadone in Cleveland called the
Althwaite Homes, and so I grewup in that setting and,
interestingly enough, most ofthe families in that housing
(02:38):
project were two parent families.
There was a father in the homeand everybody was working.
Many of the mothers werestay-at-home mothers, but we had
that whole village concept thatthe parents looked out for each
other and, of course, theylooked out for their children.
So, even though you might not bein the eyesight of your parents
, if you were in the eyesight ofone of those persons that lived
(03:01):
in the project, then you werein trouble.
If you did something youweren't supposed to do and I had
that happen to me a couple oftimes One of the neighbors told
my mother that I was walking onthe grass.
You know that was something wecouldn't do, and of course my
mother did not refute what shesaid.
Whatever the adult said, thenthat was the way it was, and so
I was punished for somethingthat was not supposed to be.
(03:23):
You know, you walk on thesidewalk, you don't walk on the
grass.
So that whole village conceptwas what I grew up with, and my
own personal feeling is thatwe've got to get back to that
again as we work with ourchildren and work with our
community.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
You know you're involved in education.
Yes, You're an educator.
You know you're involved ineducation.
Yes, You're an educator.
And the story goes that whenyou were young, your dad would
say that you were on the porchkind of practicing being a
teacher.
Yes, yes, teaching school sowhy did you want to be involved
in education?
Speaker 1 (03:55):
I guess it's just always been kind of in my blood.
My mother was a teacher andwhat was interesting is that at
the time that she was a teacher,all you had to do was to have
finished high school, and so shewas able to teach school as a
result of just being a highschool educator.
And I've always saw that, andmy parents always made us know
(04:19):
that we had to have an education.
You didn't have a choice whenyou graduate from elementary,
you went to middle school.
When, when you graduate fromelementary, you went to middle
school, when you graduated frommiddle school, you went to high
school.
When you graduated from highschool, you went on to college.
You had to have some kind ofdegree and at that time teaching
was one of the most respectedand the most accessible careers
(04:44):
for us as black people.
So I've always wanted to be ateacher and, would you know,
mimic my teachers when I was onthe porch playing with the other
kids.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
You know what brought you to Cleveland Leaving, you
know, leaving the Browns, oh mygoodness, oh, my goodness.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
I was a first year teacher in Cleveland, had just
graduated from Kent State, and Ihad a friend who was a graduate
of Ohio State.
She had just graduated and shetold me that she wanted me to
come over and play cards onenight because she had a friend
that lived in Cleveland but wasfrom Columbus.
(05:24):
And, interestingly enough, thefriend that she was talking
about was Ed Willis.
And the situation here inColumbus was that there were
only certain schools that ablack teacher could teach in,
and he was a math teacher andthe school which was champion
that he would have qualified toteach in they did not have an
(05:46):
opening and so he had to findwork elsewhere and he was
recruited to come to Clevelandand teach in Cleveland as a math
teacher.
And I met him at that cardparty and so in love and I had
to move to Columbus because hegot a job in Columbus at
(06:06):
Champion when the gentleman thatwas the math teacher retired.
So that's how I got here.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
All kinds of things happen at a car party.
That's right, not just cars.
That's right, that's exactlyright, good, good, good.
You know being a longtimeeducator.
What would you share with youngteachers today?
Speaker 1 (06:29):
One of the things that I think is so important is
that they have got to understandand realize that the children
that they work with come to themfrom all different kinds of
settings settings and don't justlash out and be negative with
(06:51):
the child because you don't knowfrom where they're coming.
And many times and I say thisoften is that until you walk in
someone else's shoes you don'tknow what they've been going
through or what they do gothrough or have gone through.
So I would just say be kind andbe open and just kind of figure
out that most of these childrendon't have any power.
(07:12):
They have to do what the adultsin their lives either show them
, tell them or give them, and soyou know, work with them and
let them know that you aresupportive of them, even when
it's hard, even when they don'twant it.
Just let them know that you'reconcerned about them, because
that's what a teacher is, that'swhat you're supposed to do.
So that's what I would say tothem Just be loving and be open
(07:38):
and be understanding and stop aminute and think.
You know, I have not walked amile in their shoes and so I'm
not sure what they're comingfrom.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
That's good.
That's good, you know.
We also know that you are astrong woman of faith.
Can you talk about why is faithso important to you?
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Well, I didn't have a choice.
When I was growing up, as youknow, I remember we had to go to
Sunday school and then we hadto go to church and then in the
middle of the week, if there waswhat BYPU or some youth group,
we had to be a part of that.
But that was what was practicedin my home.
My mother was not the, shedidn't physically go to church
(08:18):
that much, but my father did.
He was very much involved inthe choir and he was very much
involved in the choir and he wasvery much involved in the
church.
He was a Boy Scout leader, hada troop at his church and he was
one of the few African AmericanBoy Scout leaders that had a
church troop.
And so the church has alwaysbeen a part of my life and I
(08:40):
just never had any choice.
And when you do somethingconsistently for many, many
years, it comes natural.
And I just never had any choice.
And you know, when you dosomething consistently for many,
many years, it comes natural.
And I know from my ownexperiences.
You know that there is a God, Iknow that there's a need for
prayer.
I'm not one to put a Bibleunder my arm and quote
scriptures, but I try to showpeople that I am a Christian and
(09:03):
that I do unto others as Iwould have them do unto me.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Your involvement in the community just speaks
volumes.
The organization that you're apart of and have founded I'm
looking at Friends of Art forCommunity Enrichment and the
Ohio Wesleyan Upward BoundProgram, Outward Bound Program,
Soul Committee, you know, hashelped promote art from National
African American Museum andCulture Center, Wilberforce
(09:29):
University and numerous others.
Can you talk about whycommunity involvement is so
important to you?
Speaker 1 (09:35):
Well, one of the things that I remember is that
as I was growing up, there werea group of women I think they
were called the Junior Board ofPhyllis Sweetly and they were a
group of young women thatreached out into the community
and they embraced a group ofgirls and just taught us and
(09:56):
showed us and participated withus on doing community activities
.
And so I was, I guess, kind oftrained to do that, that when
you are able to do it then youreach back, that whole Sankofa
thing, that not only do you lookback as you move forward, but
you reach back and bring someonewith you.
(10:18):
And so that was all that I wasexposed to.
And so when I had anopportunity or knew that there
would be something that wouldhelp someone, especially young
people, then I would try to be apart of it or help generate
something that would help themBecause someone helped me.
I can't pass, I can't give itto them because they're gone,
but I can pass it on.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
That's great, you know.
Speaking of passing it on, in1997, you were co-founder with
the late Thelma Givens retiredteacher, the Lunch Bunch Group
the Lunch Bunch Group and yougot a sponsor, the Helen Jenkins
Davis Scholarship.
Yes, An organization that'sawarded scholarships for
African-American graduatingseniors from Columbus City
(11:02):
Schools.
When you think about that time,what was the vision behind that
?
Speaker 1 (11:06):
Well, there were quite a few of us that were
around the same age, that hadretired and, of course, if
you've taught school and beenactive for many, many years 25
to 30 years you just can't gohome and sit down because that's
not what you're accustomed to.
So we decided, thelma and Idecided, to get some of the
ladies together that had retiredand let's just go to lunch.
(11:27):
And we did.
You know, we would visit thedifferent art activities or we
would get involved in some ofthe cultural things that were
going on.
And then we just had a kind ofa conversation and say, well,
now you know, what else do weneed to do?
And, of course, with all of ushaving come out of the school
system and knowing what theneeds are, we decided well,
let's see if we can't maybecreate a scholarship for an
(11:52):
African-American graduatingsenior.
And we thought, well, we don'twant to raise money, you know,
we just want to go in ourpockets and make a donation.
Well, that was fine.
Once we decided what we weregoing to do and how we were
going to do it, then we decidedwho would we name it after?
And we decided to reach out andname it after and honor Helen
(12:16):
Jenkins Davis.
And Helen Jenkins Davis wasamong the first African-American
teachers in Columbus CitySchools but, even more important
, she was a major witness in thedesegregation case with Judge
Duncan and helped him make thedecision about the fact that the
school system was out ofcompliance and needed to change.
(12:38):
And so we decided to honor herby calling it the Helen Jenkins
Davis Scholarship.
And up until maybe just beforethe COVID, we decided we were
going to do something different.
We were going to go ahead andhave fundraisers and raise more
money so that we could give morescholarships.
And so for the last two yearstwo or three years because COVID
(13:00):
was involved, so I'll say thelast three years we have been
able to give six $3,000scholarships to deserving
students that are graduates ofColumbus City Schools.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Well, that's awesome.
We know that $6,000, thosedollars really help.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Right right, they go a long way.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
That's right,000,.
Those dollars really help,right right.
They go a long way.
That's right right.
Most recently, you've been thefounder of Urban Strings, a
youth orchestra growing from twoto over hundreds of
participants.
The question is are you amusician?
Speaker 1 (13:33):
No, no, I'm a patron.
No, no, I enjoy music, and whenI was a child, my mother had me
in piano lessons and one of thebiggest mistakes I made was to
beg her to let me stop playing,because I know now that that
(13:54):
certainly would have continuedto enhance me.
I'm thrilled that my daughterplayed.
She doesn't play now, but shedid play and she liked it, loved
it so much until I never had totell her to practice, so that
passed on my mother's dream.
But I'm just a patron of thearts.
I love art, I love things thatdepict and show us at our best,
(14:19):
and we have so many wonderfulartists, so many wonderful
people that have created thingsthat our young people, as well
as our adults, don't know about,and so it's just very important
that those of us that do knowor have access continue to share
that information.
As far as Urban Strings isconcerned, I was a volunteer at
(14:42):
Martin Luther King Library andalso a volunteer at Champion
Middle School, and the librarianhad asked me if I could help
her identify something differentfor Black History Month.
Well, they had just started astrings program at Champion, and
I asked the teacher of thestrings program if she might
have a couple of people or anensemble that could go over and
(15:04):
just play something simple forBlack History Month.
And so she found two girls whoagreed to play, but they went
kicking and screaming.
They didn't want to do it andso they went to the library and
they played and it was soimpressive I thought, well, you
know, there must be other kidsthat look like these, kids that
can play, or should be playing,the string instruments, because
(15:27):
I think statistics show thatmaybe less than 2% of the
musicians that are in string,that are in orchestras and
symphonies are African Americanand minority, and string that
are in orchestras and symphoniesare African American and
minority.
So once I pulled that togetherand reached out and got some of
the kids that I knew in theneighborhood, and then one child
(15:48):
would tell someone else, and sowe've continued to grow.
And I was at a party in Atlantafor one of my friends and the
party was being given by JudgeGlenda Hatchett, and Judge
Hatchett had a young manproviding the music and he was a
string musician playing all ofthis beautiful contemporary
(16:11):
music on string instruments andI thought, oh my God, that's
just exactly what we need.
So his name is David Robinson.
He's a graduate of Morehouse.
Dr Ted McDaniel, who lives herein Columbus, was one of his
teachers when he was atMorehouse and he is a composer
and arranger and he's thefounder of an orchestra called
(16:31):
Stillwater Youth Orchestra inAtlanta, georgia, and he is
wonderful.
He arranges much of our musicand now our kids are playing all
genres of music.
We play jazz, we play sacredmusic, we play spirituals, we
play R&B and we play some rap.
So that's the hook for the kids.
(16:51):
I had to take castor oil, butmy mother would put orange juice
on top of it so that itwouldn't be so bad.
So what we're doing is, as weteach them the techniques of how
to hold a bow and what to docorrectly with the instrument,
we're also allowing them toimprovise and play some of the
music that they hear on theirphones and that kind of thing we
(17:15):
have had.
Maybe 99% of the young peoplethat have come through Urban
Strings have gone on to collegeand we're just really excited
about them not necessarilybecoming musicians but going on
to get a career in music.
We have one young lady now,tristan Davis, is working on her
(17:37):
PhD.
She was a violinist.
One young lady now, tristanDavis, is working on her PhD.
She was a violinist.
We had Red Coltrane Ingram andRed is a graduate of New Albany.
He is a graduate of Juilliardin Columbia.
He is now in California workingas a theater major making films
.
We have two of our young peoplefrom Columbus are at Berkeley.
(17:57):
One is a third-year are atBerkeley.
One is a third year person atBerkeley and we found him at
Ohio Avenue School in a programthat Twin Rivers Chapter of Link
sponsored, an after schoolprogram, and he was a part of
that as a fourth grader.
And so now he's a third yearrising student at Berkeley.
So we're just very excited.
(18:19):
And then we have one young ladythat is from Centennial that
enrolled at Berkeley this yearas a freshman.
So we've got lots of storieslike that of young people that
have come through us and most ofthem started in middle school
as musicians.
So we're excited about that, asmusicians.
So we're excited about that.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
I know also one one of your legacies is those
students that have been in theprogram.
They come back and are nowhelping out.
Yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
That's part of the legacy.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Yes, yes, come back, yes.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
Now it's their turn.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
Yes, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
And that's truly been a blessing.
Yes and I.
You guys playing is totalpraise.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
What is it about that song when it's played?
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Oh, it's beautiful and I view it.
As you know, we talk aboutclassics.
I view that as a classic for us.
It was written by RichardSmallwood, who's still living,
and everybody in all of thechurches that we were part of.
That's one of our signaturepieces.
They love it and we find themsinging along with us.
Total Praise, because it's sucha beautiful piece and the kids
(19:30):
enjoy it and when they play thatkind of music that introduces
them to some of the Blackhistory, that needs to be a part
of their repertoire whenthey're talking and playing this
music.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
That's good.
You know you were recentlyinducted into the Columbus Hall
of Fame, you know.
Can you talk about that honor?
Speaker 1 (19:50):
Well, it was very humbling and I was just almost
in disbelief when Mayor Ginthercalled and told me that I had
been selected.
I was just, I was justspeechless and I'm just very
humbled and very grateful andvery proud and say to others
that I don't take it lightly andI hope that I can be a model of
(20:15):
what needs to happen as youmove forward in life,
interacting and working withothers, especially young people,
acting and working with others,especially young people.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
You know, as we come around the corner and wrap up,
this is a legacy podcast.
So when you think about thatword legacy what does that
legacy mean to you, and talkabout how you have built a
legacy and continue to buildthat legacy, can you talk about
that word legacy?
Speaker 1 (20:45):
Okay, I guess that means there's something that
you're passing on.
One of the things that I wantto be remembered at as I say
this to people, is that I justwant to be remembered as a
person that made the differencein the life of a child, and I
want to pass on the good thingsand the wonderful things and the
positive things that havehelped me to someone else, so
(21:09):
that they can pass it on tosomeone else.
They can't give it back to me,but they can pass it on, and
that's what I would like mylegacy to be.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
Truly I know that's one of your remember someone who
made a difference in the lifeof a child.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
That's right.
You have truly done that.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
That's right, and I'm going to put children on there.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
There's so many, even when you think back to your
days of teaching in theclassroom.
Yes, you know how you made adifference and I'm sure you had
those students.
Yes, that remember.
Yes.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
Oh, I remember you were my teacher.
Yes, yes, yes.
I had a plumber to come to myhouse one day and I opened the
door and he said Ms Willis, youremember me and of course you
know you look different whenyou're five years old than when
you become an adult.
And I said well, no, I don'tthink so.
Tell me your name.
And he told me his name and Iremembered his name.
He said I was in yourkindergarten.
(21:58):
I said you were.
He said yes.
He said yes, and I said well,what did you remember about it?
He said the thing I like bestis that when we did something
that was good and when weaccomplished one of the goals
that you had for us, he said wehad a goodie box and we could go
into the goodie box and takeout something as a reward for
having accomplished that.
He said that's what I rememberand I said oh good, ok, you
(22:21):
remember that goodie box.
That was effective, right, thatwas big, right.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
And those are the ones who now you see them
working.
That's right.
Speaker 1 (22:28):
He was my plumber.
Can you imagine that?
Right, right, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
That's beautiful, that's life Right.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
Right, that's making a difference, that's right.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
That's right.
Of this episode, I want tothank our special guests for
sharing their wisdom of lifelessons that can help empower
the next generation.
I want to thank Ms Willis forbeing a pillar of service in the
community and building a legacyof what I call faith and action
.
It's something we talk about,our faith.
We talk about what Jesus woulddo, but Ms Willis has truly been
(23:03):
faith and action Right.
She's truly been doing thosethings.
They continue to do those thingsRight and so we're just excited
, and I'm sure all thoselistening to this who remember
Ms Willis as their kindergartenteacher, you know they remember
that difference that she made inher life Right right.
So I want to thank the audiencefor joining us during this
enlightening and informeddiscussion on building a legacy
in service.
Hope this episode wasbeneficial to you.
(23:24):
As always, continue to build alifelong legacy.
Thanks, Ms Willis.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
Thank you so much, tim.
Thank you for loving me andthank you for supporting me and
thanking you.
Thank you for just shining thelight on me, as hopefully I can
be a light for someone else.
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
It's my pleasure.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
All right, thanks, ms Willis.
Thank you so much.
It's my pleasure, all right.
Speaker 3 (23:45):
Thanks, ms Willis.
Thank you If you enjoyed ourshow.
Please share this podcast withfamily and friends.
Be a Baller podcast isavailable on all major podcast
stations.
Be sure to come back next weekas we continue to discuss on how
to build a lifelong legacy.
Until then, don't forget to bea baller.
This podcast was created bycoach Tim Brown and produced and
(24:07):
edited by the video productionclass of Worthington Christian
High School.
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