"BEHIND THE WOMAN..." >> Juhanna: AS WE BEGIN OUR JOURNEY INTO SEASON TWO, WE ARE STARTING OFF WITH TWO EDUCATIONAL TRAIL BLAZERS.

>> I'M, MARJORIE CARTER AND I WAS THE FIRST BLACK TEACHER IN SYRACUSE.

IF YOU HAVE A DREAM, PURSUE IT.

DON'T LET NONE CHANGE YOUR MIND FOR ANY REASON.

>> MY NAME IS EVA WILLIAMS AND I'M A PRINCIPAL ATIVAN DINE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

THE EDUCATOR TAKES THE PERSON TO THE DOOR AND OPENS IT SO THAT THEY CAN WALK THROUGH TO LEARN.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> Juhanna: HI, GOOD EVENING.

WELCOME TO SEASON TWO OF "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

I'M YOUR HOST, Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS.

TONIGHT I'M EXCITED TO BE JOINED BY TWO VERY SPECIAL GUESTS.

AS WE BEGIN OUR JOURNEY INTO "BEHIND THE WOMAN" SEASON 2, WE ARE STARTING OFF WITH TWO EDUCATIONAL TRAIL BLAZERS.

FIRST WE HAVE Mrs. AMARJORIE CARTER, THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN SCHOOLTEACHER HIRED BY THE SYRACUSE CITY DISTRICT.

AND SECOND, Mrs. EVA WILLIAMS, RECIPIENT OF THE 2021 NEW YORK STATE ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR AWARD.

BEFORE WE GET INTO CONVERSATION WITH THESE BRILLIANT WOMEN, LET'S TAKE A FEW MOMENTS AND LEARN ABOUT THEIR INSPIRING STORIES.

>> DID YOU HAVE ANY BLACK TEACHERS?

>> NO.

[LAUGHTER] NO, BECAUSE I WAS THE FIRST ONE IN 1950.

>> I'M MARRIAGELY GENERALLY HIVE I'M MARJORIE CARTER AND I WAS THE FIRST BLACK TEACHER IN SYRACUSE.

I GREW UP HERE AND I HAD A NORMAL CHILDHOOD.

MY FATHER WOULD TAKE ME-- WELL, WE HAD A RITUAL.

EVERY FRIDAY OR SATURDAY NIGHT, WE WOULD WALK DOWN TO SEARS AND ROEBUCK, WHICH WAS ON SOUTH SALINA STREET.

WE WALKED BECAUSE MY FATHER WAS A WALKER.

I JUST DID WHATEVER HE DID.

MOTHER WAS FINE BUT SHE DIDN'T LIKE TO DO THOSE OUTDOOR KINDS OF THINGS.

SO SHE USED TO READ TO ME AND I WOULD READ TO HER AND WE WOULD GO SHOPPING DOWNTOWN.

IT'S NO LONGER IN EXISTENCE.

BUT CHAPELS WAS THE DOOR THAT I WENT TO.

AND THEN WHEN I BECAME A TEENAGER, IT WAS ADDISAS.

I WENT TO CORTLAND.

I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A TEACHER AND CORTLAND HAD A REPUTATION FOR TEACHERS.

THERE WERE MEMBERS IN THE FAMILY WHO SAID TO MY FATHER AND TO MY MOTHER, TOO, OH, SHE CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE SHE'S BLACK.

MY FATHER SAID SHE'S ALREADY DONE THAT.

SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO HERE.

WE'VE HAD A BLACK SUPERINTENDENT.

WE'VE HAD BLACK PRINCIPALS.

WE'VE HAD BLACK TEACHERS.

THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT CAME HERE JUST BECAUSE-- I MEAN THAT'S WHY THEY DECIDED TO COME.

IT WASN'T FOR THE WEATHER.

THAT'S FOR SURE.

>> MY NAME IS EVA WILLIAMS.

AND I AM A PRINCIPAL AT VAN DYNE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE SYRACUSE CITY SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT.

MY FAMILY IS FROM WEST AFRICA, WE ARE FROM LIBERIA, BOTH MOTHER AND FATHER.

AND I GREW UP IN THE NEW YORK CITY AREA.

WE LIVED IN QUEENS.

WE LIVED IN THE BRONX.

WE LIVED IN NEW ROCHELLE.

AND AS WE LIVED IN THE UNITED STATES, WE ALSO LIVED IN LIBERIA.

AND THOSE EXPERIENCES MOLDED MY FRAMEWORK FOR WHO NOT ONLY I AM, BUT MY VISION FOR EDUCATION AND WHAT ALL CHILDREN DESERVE.

THEY DESERVE TO SEE THEMSELVES IN THE WORLD, DESPITE WHERE THEY LIVE RIGHT NOW.

BUT WHAT, FOR THE WILD THAT'S NOT IN THAT-- WHAT FOR A CHILD THAT IS NOT IN A CLASS CLASSROOM WITH A TEACHER THAT LOOKS LIKE THEM.

IT IS FOR EVERY CHILD TO POUR INTO THE CHILD AND LOOK INTO THEIR EYES AND SEE PROMISE AND POTENTIAL AND TELL THEM THAT THEY SEE THAT IN THEM.

STANDING WITH Mrs. CARTER IS A HUMBLING HON ARE.

THERE WERE SACRIFICES MADE BY MANY SO THAT WE COULD COME TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY, REGARDLESS OF WHO WE ARE, WHERE WE LIVE, HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE IN THE BANK, OUR FAITH OR RELIGION, WE CAN COME TO SCHOOL.

THOSE SACRIFICES WERE NOT MADE 100 YEARS AGO.

THERE IS A WOMAN LIVING RIGHT HERE IN SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, WHO MADE THE SACRIFICE TO BE THE FIRST TO OPEN THE DOOR FOR ALL OF US TO JUST WALK THROUGH.

WHEN I THINK ABOUT ALL THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS SHE HAS MADE, I REALIZE THAT I CAN DO NOTHING BUT SUCCEED.

>> WELL, GOOD EVENING LADIES.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

>> THANK YOU FOR INVITING US.

>> Juhanna: ABSOLUTELY.

I AM HUMBLED AND HONORED TO HAVE YOU BOTH SITTING ON THE COUCH HERE WITH US TONIGHT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE BEEN REALLY CURIOUS ABOUT IS THAT, MISS CARTER, YOU STARTED OUT HOW MANY YEARS AGO IN THE SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT?

>> 1950.

DO THE MATH.

>> Juhanna: PEOPLE WATCHING THIS DOING THE MATH, RIGHT?

AND SO 1950, AND YOU ARE STILL ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY DOING AMAZING THINGS TODAY.

HOW DID YOU COME TO START TEACHING AND WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE TEACHING AS A PROFESSION FOR YOURSELF?

>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, YOU HAVE TO STOP AND THINK, 1948 IS WHEN I STARTED ON MY JOURNEY.

AND THERE WEREN'T EMPLOYMENT FOR WOMEN OTHER THAN BEING A TEACHER AND HOUSE WIFE.

AND I WANTED TO BE A TEACHER.

>> Juhanna: MORE SO THAN THE HOUSE WIFE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WELL, I WAS ENGAGED AND I GOT MARRIED JUST BEFORE GRADUATION-- I MEAN JUST AFTER GRADUATION.

BUT SO THAT WAS IMPORTANT, TOO.

BUT EDUCATION WAS IMPORTANT TO ME.

AND I JUST WANTED TO PASS ON THOSE THINGS THAT I HAD LEARNED AND IT WAS ONE OF MY SIXTH GRADE TEACHERS WHO JUST PUT THE THOUGHT IN MY HEAD.

AND SHE DIDN'T DO IT INTENTIONALLY.

SHE WAS DOING A SHOW AND TELL ON FLOWERS.

AND I THOUGHT, ISN'T THAT WONDERFUL.

I MEAN SHE BROUGHT FLOWERS INTO THE SCHOOL ROOM, AND SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE FLOWERS AND WHAT THEY WERE.

AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, I REALLY WANT TO DO THAT.

>> Juhanna: YOU REALLY WANT TO SHOW AND EXPLAIN.

BRING THE FLOWERS IN AND TEACH ABOUT THEM.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> Juhanna: BEAUTIFUL.

>> THAT'S HOW I GOT HOOKED AND THAT WAS SIXTH GRADE.

>> Juhanna: SIXTH GRADE AND THEN YOU WENT ON.

>> I KEPT ON GOING AND MY PARENTS DIDN'T STOP ME FROM WHAT I WANTED TO DO.

AND SO I WENT OFF TO COLLEGE.

>> Juhanna: AND HERE YOU ARE.

AND NOW YOU HAVE, NEXT TO YOU, Mrs. EVA WILLIAMS, WHO IS A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR HERE IN THE SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT BUT SHE IS NOT JUST AN ADMINISTRATOR.

YOU ARE THE PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR FOR ELEMENTARY EDUCATION HERE IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

HOW DID YOU GET YOUR START, 1?

AND HERE YOU ARE SITTING DOWN WITH ME WHO IS SO INSPIRED BY YOUR WORK AND ALSO A WOMAN WHO BLAZED THE TRAIL, RIGHT, FOR YOU TO BE IN THE ROLE THAT YOU ARE IN.

SO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO GET INTO EDUCATION BUT ALSO TO BE SITTING WITH SUCH AN AMAZING WOMAN LIKE Mrs. CARTER.

>> MY JOURNEY WAS ONE LAID BY THE LORD.

I CANNOT TELL YOU THAT EVA PICKED ANYTHING FOR HER OWN LIFE.

I JOURNEYED THROUGH WHAT I BELIEVED IN, WHAT I SAW WAS A NEED EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

SO WHEN MICAH REAR STARTED IN HIGHER ED-- WHEN MY CAREER STARTED IN HIGHER ED, IT WAS TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO OTHERS.

HAVING GOTTEN INTO COLLEGE, THOUGHT ON MY OWN STEAM BUT BECAUSE OF SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY, I RECOGNIZED THAT NOT ALL CHILDREN HAD PEOPLE IN SCHOOLS WHO WOULD SUPPORT THEIR JOURNEY INTO HIGHER ED SO I STARTED THAT JOURNEY IN HIGHER ED AND AFTER 15 YEARS IN HIGHER ED, I STARTED LOOKING AROUND AND SAYING WHERE ARE MY SYRACUSE CHILDREN?

WHY CANNOT I RECRUIT FROM SYRACUSE.

I COULD GO TO ANY CITY IN NEW YORK CITY AND STUDENTS WERE WILLING TO LEAVE HOME, BUT WHERE WERE OUR CENTRAL NEW YORK CHILDREN, PARTICULARLY OUR CENTRAL NEW YORK BLACK AND BROWN CHILDREN.

AND SO THE JOURNEY THEN LED TO HIGH SCHOOL GUIDANCE.

SO I TOOK THE STEP BACKWARDS AND SAID WELL MAYBE I NEED TO GO BACKWARDS AND START A LITTLE BIT YOUNGER HELPING OUR CHILDREN UNDERSTAND EARLY AWARENESS TO COLLEGE AND WHAT THE COLLEGES ARE LOOKING FOR.

AND THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL.

LOVED HIGH SCHOOL GUIDANCE.

I LOVED BEING ON THE COLLEGE CAMPUS AND WORKING WITH COLLEGE STUDENTS.

AND THEN THE LORD WAS LIKE, YOU'VE DONE.

THIS IT'S TIME TO FOCUS FURTHER AND MAKE YOUR REACH GO A LITTLE FURTHER AND SO I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO INTO SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION THROUGH THE WALLACE FOUNDATION, A SCHOLARSHIP OPTION THROUGH SUNY OSWEGO.

THEY WERE LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES TO TAKE ON THIS ROLE IN SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION IN URBAN AND RURAL SETTINGS AND SO I WAS LIKE, THAT'S NOT ME THOUGH.

THAT'S NOT ME.

I'M TRULY A BEHIND THE SCENES WORKER BEE.

I'M NOT THE PERSON UP FRONT SPEAKING.

BUT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IT WENT BACK WHERE IN THE BIBLE THE LORD TOLD MOSES, I KNOW YOU STUDDER AND THAT'S WHY I'M SENDING YOU OUT.

WHERE I LEAD YOU, I'M GOING TO KEEP YOU AND YOU ARE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

AND SO I SAID OKAY, LORD, THIS IS IN YOUR HANDS AND I COMPLETED THE PROGRAM.

I DID MY INTERNSHIP AND THE FOLLOWING YEAR, SHARON CONTRERAS, WHO WAS SUPERINTENDENT AT THE TIME, SAID YOU ARE GOING TO BE THE PRINCIPAL AT THIS SCHOOL.

AND THAT'S WHERE MY JOURNEY HAS BEEN.

IT HAS BEEN FROM THE Ph.D. TO PRE-K. AND EVERY BIT OF THAT SPAN IS ALMOST THE SAME.

NURTURING THE MIND, NURTURING THE HEART.

YOU ARE ENCOURAGING AND HELPING PEOPLE TO SEE THEIR POTENTIAL AND TO BELIEVE IN WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO ACCOMPLISH.

>> Juhanna: AMAZING.

WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE BOTH OF YOU SITTING HERE AND THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, THE WORK IS REALLY ABOUT EDUCATION AND THAT THERE IS A DISTINCTION BETWEEN BEING A TEACHER AND BEING AN EDUCATOR.

AND I THINK OVER THE LAST YEAR, WITH COVID AND JUST THE IMPACT IT MADE ON SCHOOLS AND US THINKING ABOUT EDUCATION IN A VERY DIFFERENT WAY, I WANT TO HEAR YOU, FROM BOTH OF YOU, ABOUT WHAT YOUR PERSPECTIVE IS IN REGARDS TO THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN BEING AN EDUCATOR AND BEING A TEACHER.

>> I THINK I WAS MORE OF AN EDUCATOR THAN I WAS A TEACHER BECAUSE I WASN'T GOING STRICTLY BY THE BOOK-- I MEAN WE DID READING AND I HAD FIRST GRADE AND SECOND GRADE.

BUT WE WERE DOING THAT.

BUT I WAS ALSO DOING OTHER KINDS OF THINGS.

BROUGHT EGGS INTO THE ROOM AND WE HATCHED CHICKENS.

WE DID THAT WITH BUTTERFLIES, YOU KNOW, DID IT WITH DUCKS.

I MEAN THERE WERE ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

AND WE WENT ON TRIPS AND DID THAT SORT OF THING.

SO I THINK ACTUALLY, TEACHER WAS NOT THE CORRECT TITLE FOR ME, IT WAS MORE I WAS AN EDUCATOR, AT LEAST I THOUGHT I WAS AND CONTINUE TO THINK THAT.

>> Juhanna: BECAUSE YOU SEEM TO HAVE A FOCUS MORE HOLISTICALLY ON NOT JUST THE BOOK KNOWLEDGE BUT CONNECTING THAT TO LIVED EXPERIENCES.

AND BEING A DOSIENT AT THE EVERSON.

I WAS EDUCATING BECAUSE WE HAD VARIOUS DISPLAYS AND SHOWS AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS AND I WAS TALKING ABOUT THOSE.

SO THEREFORE I WASN'T REALLY TEACHING.

I GUESS I REALLY WAS AN EDUCATOR MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

>> Juhanna: YOU WENT OUTSIDE THE LINES.

>> I JUST THINK IT'S A DIFFERENT KIND OF TITLE BUT YEAH, SAME THING.

>> Juhanna: I AGREE.

>> LOVED IT.

>> Juhanna: ABSOLUTELY.

MISS WILLIAMS, HOW ABOUT YOU?

WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OR DISTINCTION BETWEEN AN EDUCATOR AND A TEACHER?

>> THE EDUCATOR TAKES THE PERSON TO THE DOOR AND OPENS IT SO THAT THEY CAN WALK THROUGH TO LEARN.

THE TEACHER MIGHT NECESSARILY BE THE ONE JUST STANDING AND GIVING.

BUT THE EDUCATOR REALLY OPENS THAT DOOR, THE MIND, THE EXPERIENCES.

THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE.

SO THAT THE EDUCATOR COULD BE ANYONE IN THAT BUILDING, ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT REALLY OPENS THE PERSON, CAN'T SAY CHILD, BUT OPENS THE PERSON TO UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF WHAT THAT TEACHING AND LEARNING EXPERIENCE IS.

>> Juhanna: THAT'S BEAUTIFULLY SAID.

I'M GOING TO CONNECT THIS.

WHEN I INTRODUCED YOU, I SAID YOU ARE THE 2021, YOU KNOW, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR FOR THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

AS AN EDUCATOR, A PERSON WHO BELIEVES IN LEADING PEOPLE TO THE DOOR, I WANT TO KNOW, WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION, RIGHT?

YOU ARE SO HUMBLE, YOU ARE SO INTENTIONAL ABOUT THE VILLAGE THAT IT TAKES TO MAKE THE WORK THAT DO YOU SUCCESSFUL.

WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION TO THE NEWS WHEN YOU HEARD THAT YOU HAD BEEN SELECTED FOR THIS AWARD?

>> MY REACTION...

I WAS IN MY OFFICE SCREAMING.

[LAUGHTER] I HAD READ THE EMAIL AND I WAS JUST CRYING AND JUST CRYING AND THE SECRETARIES AND THE VICE PRINCIPAL, EVERYBODY WAS LIKE WHAT'S THE MATTER?

WHAT HAPPENED?

ALL I COULD DO WAS SHOW THEM THE COMPUTER.

YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY THIS ALREADY, BUT I WEAR THE CROWN FOR THE WORK THAT WE ALL DO.

SO I GET TO HAVE THE TITLE, BUT IT'S OUR COLLABORATIVE EFFORT THAT BROUGHT ME TO THIS PLACE.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT IS MINE ALONE.

THAT TITLE BELONGS TO ALL OF US IN SYRACUSE, IN A CITY WHERE PEOPLE HAVE NOT OFTEN BELIEVED IN THE POWER AND THE POTENTIAL OF EDUCATION OF OUR CHILDREN OF WHAT THEY CAN ACHIEVE.

AND WHO HAVE THAT TITLE, AS I SAY, THE CROWN, PUT ON MY HEAD.

IT REFLECTS THE HARD WORK AND THAT BELIEF THAT I HAVE ALWAYS HAD THAT SYRACUSE AND THE PEOPLE OF SYRACUSE CAN ACTUALLY ACHIEVE MORE THAN WHAT WE CURRENTLY ARE ACHIEVING.

>> Juhanna: BEAUTIFUL.

MISS CARTER, WHEN WE INVITED YOU TO BE A PART OF "BEHIND THE WOMAN," YOU SAID, OH MY GOD, THERE ARE SO MANY WONDERFUL WOMEN HERE.

WHY ME?

AND IT MADE ME THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU ARE CALLED, AND I KNOW RECENTLY YOU WERE HONORED IN THE COMMUNITY FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE; NOT JUST IN EDUCATION, BUT ALSO IN THE COMMUNITY AS A VOLUNTEER AND SOMEONE THAT HAS CHEERED ON AND SUPPORTED MANY EFFORTS OVER THE YEARS IN THE SYRACUSE COMMUNITY.

WHEN YOU ARE STILL CALLED TO PLATFORMS LIKE THIS ONE TO TALK ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AND TELL YOUR STORY, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT GO THROUGH YOUR MIND?

>> IT ISN'T THINGS, IT'S PEOPLE THAT GO THROUGH MY MIND REALLY.

>> Juhanna: WHO ARE SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE?

>> WELL, SOME OF THEM ARE STILL IN THE COMMUNITY AND THEY'RE STILL ACTIVE IN DOING.

AND I HAVE ONE SPECIAL STORY THAT JUST HAPPENED VERY RECENTLY I'M NOT A REAL INTERNET FAN AT ALL, BUT I HAPPENED TO OPEN MY TAB AND HERE WAS A MESSAGE TO ME FROM SOME FEMALE.

AND I THOUGHT OH, I RECOGNIZE THE NAME, BUT IT WAS ONE OF MY STUDENTS FROM BACK IN THE DAY.

>> Juhanna: BACK IF THE DAY, OKAY.

>> AND SHE WAS NOW IN MICHIGAN, IS AN OPERATES MOL OPHTHALMOLOGIST AND HAD BEEN FOR 35 YEARS AND WAS STILL PRACTICING.

AND SHE SAID I THINK OF YOU VERY FREQUENTLY BECAUSE YOU WERE THE ONE THAT WAS AT THE DOOR.

BUT I WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT WAS GIVING HER LOVE BECAUSE SHE-- HER PARENTS WERE HAVING OTHER PROBLEMS, I GUESS.

BUT SHE SAID THAT WAS MY ONE JOY FOR THE DAY, SAID SHE.

AND I THOUGHT THAT'S WONDERFUL.

I MEAN I HAVE OTHER STORIES, TOO, BUT THAT ONE, I THOUGHT WAS VERY SPECIAL.

>> Juhanna: IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE I MEAN AS SOMEONE WHO IS ALSO A TRAINED EDUCATOR, RIGHT?

I THINK VERY OFTEN ABOUT THE WOMEN AND MEN OF COLOR WHO HAVE LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR ME.

AND I ASKED YOU ALL THE QUESTION OFF CAMERA, LIKE WHO WAS ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE TEACHERS AND YOU WERE LIKE OH MY GOODNESS, THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO, BUT FOR SOMEONE THAT'S STILL FOLLOWING BEHIND THE PATH THAT YOU ALL HAVE LED, IT'S REALLY BEEN INSPIRING TO SEE YOU ALL SIT HERE AND REFLECT ON THE MOMENT AND THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE HELPED YOU GET TO WHERE YOU ARE, RIGHT?

IT'S A REMINDER THAT WE HAVE TO BE STANDING AT THAT DOOR.

WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT.

>> I THINK MISS CARTER USED A WORD THAT WE DON'T OFTEN ASSOCIATE WITH EDUCATION AND SCHOOLING AND TEACHING AND THAT'S LOVE AND THOSE-- WHEN YOU SAY LOVE, THOSE ARE GOING TO BE THE PEOPLE WHO POP INTO YOUR MIND.

THOSE WHO SHOWED YOU LOVE, THOSE WHO GUIDED YOU TO LOVE, THOSE WHO OPENED THE DOOR TO LOVE AND THEN THOSE END UP BEING THE PEOPLE, THE TEACHERS, THE STUDENTS, THE EXPERIENCES THAT WE ARE ABLE TO REMEMBER AND DRAW UPON WHEN WE THINK WE CAN'T.

IT'S THOSE THAT SHOWED LOVE.

>> THAT'S TRUE.

>> Juhanna: THOSE THAT SHOWED LOVE PART OF THE PURPOSE OF "BEHIND THE WOMAN," IS TO SHOW LOVE IN THIS COMMUNITY.

AND SO AS TRAIL BLAZERS, HISTORY MAKERS, EDUCATORS HERE WITH US I WANT YOU BOTH, WE HAVE ABOUT A MINUTE OR SO, BUT TO SHARE A PIECE OF ADVICE OR WISDOM THAT WOULD YOU GIVE TO EITHER A STUDENT OR A TEACHER THAT'S WATCHING THE PROGRAM TONIGHT WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THEM?

>> I WOULD TELL THEM TO PURSUE THEIR DREAM.

DON'T LET ANYONE CHANGE YOUR MIND FOR ANY REASON.

IF YOU HAVE A DREAM, PURSUE IT.

THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING REALLY.

PEOPLE MAY SAY, IT COULD BE RELATIVES, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO IT IS, WHO SAYS "YOU CAN'T DO THAT."

IF YOU HAVE A DREAM, PURSUE IT.

>> Juhanna: HOW ABOUT YOU, Mrs. WILLIAMS?

>> I THINK Mrs. CARTER AND I HAVE LIKE MIND SETS.

I WANT TO SAY THE QUOTE IS FROM ELEANOR ROOSEVELT.

IF I'M WRONG, SOMEBODY WILL CORRECT ME.

BUT IT GOES "THE FUTURE BELONGS TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN THE BEAUTY OF THEIR DREAMS."

AND THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY FAVORITE OF WHAT IS THE ADVICE I WOULD GIVE OTHERS.

BELIEVE IN THE BEAUTY OF YOUR OWN DREAMS, OF YOUR MINDSET, OF YOUR BIG PICTURE FOR YOUR LIFE.

AND WHEN YOU DO SO, EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO, ALL THOSE STEPS WILL TAKE YOU THERE BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE IN THE BEAUTY OF YOURSELF AND OF YOUR OWN DREAMS.

AND SO THEN NOTHING BECOMES IMPOSSIBLE.

EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO KNOCK DOWN THE BARRIERS BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE IN THE BEAUTY OF YOURSELF, IN YOUR DREAMS.

>> Juhanna: THAT IS BEAUTIFUL AND PROFOUND AND THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I'M QUITE SURE OUR AUDIENCE IS LITTLE VERY APPRECIATIVE.

THANK YOU ALSO FOR GIVING OF YOURSELVES TO THIS COMMUNITY.

WE SEE YOU AND WE HONOR YOU AND THANK YOU FOR LIVING OUT YOUR DREAMS.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>> Juhanna: ABSOLUTELY.

I WANT TO THANK OUR GUESTS MISS MARJORIE CARTER AND Mrs. EVA WILLIAMS FOR JOINING ME THIS EVENING FOR A VERY ENLIGHTENING AND PROFOUND CONVERSATION ABOUT BELIEVING IN YOUR DREAMS AND BEING THE PERSON AT THE DOOR.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VIEW THIS SHOW AGAIN, YOU CAN VIEW IT ONLINE AT WCNY.ORG/"BEHIND THE WOMAN."

MY NAME IS Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS AND ON BEHALF OF "BEHIND THE WOMAN" TEAM, THANK YOU AND HAVE AN AMAZING NIGHT.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ NEXT WEEK ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

>> Juhanna: TONIGHT I'M SO EXCITED TO BE JOINED BY A DYNAMIC WOMAN.

SHE IS A MOTHER, FILM MAKER, ACTIVIST.

>> MY NAME IS CHRISTA NUNEZ AND I LEAD THE LEARNING FARM.

GREEN SPACE IS TRANSLATING LIGHT SPACES AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERY KID WHO WANTS TO CAN PLAY AND HAVE FREEDOM IN A BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE IN THE NATURAL WORLD AND LEARN A LOT IN THE PROCESS.

IT'S A GREEN SPACE FOR BLACK PEOPLE ARE WELCOME.

>> THREE WORDS.

LOCAL.

COMMUNITY.

TRUST.

BECAUSE WE HAVE TO LIVE WHERE WE WORK TO CALL YOURSELF LOCAL.

HAVE YOU TO INVEST IN THE PEOPLE AND THE BUSINESSES AROUND YOU TO CLAIM COMMUNITY.

AND YOU HAVE TO EARN TRUST BEFORE YOU ASK FOR IT.

THIS IS WHAT MAKES US THE BANK.

WE ARE HERE TO INVEST AND TO LISTEN BECAUSE AT THE END OF EVERY DAY, WE KNOW THAT OUR STORY BEGINS WITH YOU.

NATIONAL GRID IS PROUD TO SUPPORT "BEHIND THE WOMAN" BECAUSE OF THE ENERGY IT PROVIDES TO OUR COMMUNITY.

♪ I GOT A GOOD, GOOD FEELING.

♪ I'M UP ON A CLOUD, AIN'T COMING BACK DOWN ♪ ♪ I GOOD I GOT A GOOD, GOOD FEELING, UP ON A CLOUD AIN'T COMING BACK DOWN ♪