A Second Helping of Gumbo for the Soul
More Liberating Stories and Memories to Inspire Females of Color
Passionate, Fearless Immigrant Shares Her American Story
Dr. Marcelle Mentor @marcellementor
@marcellementor
Dr. Mike Robinson: What is the name of your chapter in the book A Second Helping of Gumbo for the Soul: More Liberating Stories and Memories to Inspire Females of Color?
Dr. Marcelle Mentor: The Educated Immigrant: A narrative
Dr. Mike Robinson: Why did you decide to share your story in A Second Helping of Gumbo for the Soul: More Liberating Stories and Memories to Inspire Females of Color?
Dr. Marcelle Mentor: Because I had felt silenced for SO very long - I allowed my fear and insecurity silence me - I allowed a patriarchal society and culture I had been raised in to silence me and because I had allowed a man to dominate and beat me and shame me without publicly calling him out on it. Because I was raising two boys - Black boys - who needed to see better and have it modeled in a mother that would not tolerate such behavior in men. That I could model for them what self-respect and self-love looked like.
Dr. Mike Robinson: What do you hope the readers of your chapter take away after reading your story?
Dr. Marcelle Mentor: That for so many women of color - our stories overlap - and that so many of us are SO resilient, but that resilience comes from our mothers, and aunts sister, cousins - blood-related or not - that we support each other and we have a survival mechanism because of it. My sister's survival and success is also survival and success for me - because I will also grow out of it.
Dr. Mike Robinson: Why is it so important for Females of Color to share their stories?
Dr. Marcelle Mentor: Women of color are often on the bottom rungs of the societal ladder - we are often told we can endure and survive. But we also get tired and feel despondent and unloved - so it's important for us to tell our stories - each story provides us with a toolkit to use in the lives we navigate. We draw strength from each other, and we are fortified by our own collective.
Dr. Marcelle Mentor: The Educated Immigrant: A narrative
Dr. Mike Robinson: Why did you decide to share your story in A Second Helping of Gumbo for the Soul: More Liberating Stories and Memories to Inspire Females of Color?
Dr. Marcelle Mentor: Because I had felt silenced for SO very long - I allowed my fear and insecurity silence me - I allowed a patriarchal society and culture I had been raised in to silence me and because I had allowed a man to dominate and beat me and shame me without publicly calling him out on it. Because I was raising two boys - Black boys - who needed to see better and have it modeled in a mother that would not tolerate such behavior in men. That I could model for them what self-respect and self-love looked like.
Dr. Mike Robinson: What do you hope the readers of your chapter take away after reading your story?
Dr. Marcelle Mentor: That for so many women of color - our stories overlap - and that so many of us are SO resilient, but that resilience comes from our mothers, and aunts sister, cousins - blood-related or not - that we support each other and we have a survival mechanism because of it. My sister's survival and success is also survival and success for me - because I will also grow out of it.
Dr. Mike Robinson: Why is it so important for Females of Color to share their stories?
Dr. Marcelle Mentor: Women of color are often on the bottom rungs of the societal ladder - we are often told we can endure and survive. But we also get tired and feel despondent and unloved - so it's important for us to tell our stories - each story provides us with a toolkit to use in the lives we navigate. We draw strength from each other, and we are fortified by our own collective.
Who is Dr. Marcelle Mentor @marcellementor
Dr. Marcelle Mentor is a Lecturer in the English Education Department at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her academic interest focuses on Critical Race Theory, with an emphasis on Womanist and Black Masculinity Theories As a South African native her teaching philosophy is based on the concept of Ubuntu, which is a Southern African ethic or humanistic approach that focuses on the fact that we are people through the existence and interaction with and from other people. She is an activist, a mother of two sons, a wife, a researcher, a scholar, and teller of stories. She believes in equality in access of education for all.
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A Second Helping of Gumbo for the Soul
More Liberating Stories and Memories to Inspire Females of Color 
A Second Helping of Gumbo for the Soul is a collection of essays, stories, and narratives designed to inspire and empower women of color through the use of storytelling and narratives. This second edition is a sequel to the first Gumbo for the Soul and includes more...
Edited by: Michelle Trotman Scott, University of West Georgia Nicole McZeal Walters, University of St. Thomas-Houston Dr. Jemimah L. Young, University of North Texas Donna Y. Ford Ph.D., Ohio State University Click here to order your copy |