Labor and Community Acknowledgement
Before his recent passing, Harry Hart shared with us a newspaper article from over FIFTY YEARS AGO about Hayes High School students who advocated for Black studies courses, Black counselors, Black representation, and Black attendance. We deeply respect and honor the efforts of Harry Hart, as well as individuals like Ms. Brenda Holmes, Ms. Tamika Vinson-Reid, Ms. Francine Butler, and Mr. Mark Butler. Learn more in the video below.
How We Got Started
Though the need to address the effects of racial disparities has been ongoing, demands for accountability were high during the summer of 2020. COVID-19 shed light on how the built environment affects a range of health risks and outcomes for BIPOC. The senseless deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor also sparked a focus on institutional commitments to racial justice. In response to summer 2020 events, Marion City Schools passed a Social Justice and Equity Resolution that bolstered support for students, teachers, and staff to teach and learn about racism and oppose policies reinforcing inequitable learning. Meanwhile, The Ohio State University established a $1 million fund that provided seed grants for interdisciplinary research and creative work that could contribute to the elimination of racism and solve its underlying causes and consequences. “Ohio State has both the opportunity and the responsibility to lead reconciliation and drive transformational and sustainable change at this pivotal moment in our nation’s history.” Through a process of dreaming, drafting, and writing a proposal, Ohio State University – Marion County Extension was awarded $50,000 to allocate material resources and support for young people and community partners to engage in photography and storytelling that identified policies, practices, norms, and behaviors that produce racial justice and injustice.
The program Dreamkeepers was developed after Gloria Ladson-Billing’s book, “The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African American Children” (2009). The author introduces readers to culturally relevant teaching and exemplars of successful teachers. Similarly, Marion Dreamkeepers was designed to challenge the community, K-12 schools, and higher education intuitions to co-create conditions for non-white youth to thrive. The first annual Equity Day recognized the youth-led, participatory action research (YPAR) in July 2021.
Present Day
Three years later, communities throughout Central Ohio have reimagined the program and the program transformed with additional resources like a facilitator guide, youth project book, and new name, Project DREAMS (Dialogues for Racial Equity, Advocacy, and Mattering in School). The names of students from the Class of 2023 were Abdullahi, Allisen, Amanda, Caleb, Noelle, Dionisio, Clay, Joshua, Kellen, Maureen, Nelease, Olivia, Oscar, Pray, Sophia, and Trey. With sessions written by national leaders in the field of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), this program is a promising opportunity for schools and youth-serving organizations. Project DREAMS incorporates the values of DEI with educational and workforce standards. The experience gained in the program can be applied to any industry or college readiness: problem-solving, digital technology, systems thinking, communication, collaboration, shared leadership, and project management.
Current Team
Dr. Lindsey Lunsford, Tuskegee University Partner
Lindsey Lunsford, PhD, is an assistant researcher for Food Systems, Education, and Policy at Tuskegee University working in Cooperative Extension and for the Carver Integrative Sustainability Center. Lunsford is a highly sought-after food systems expert & anti-racist education leader. Her research centers the “restorying” of narratives surrounding Black joy and resilience as they relate to food systems and collective liberation. Dr. Lunsford ranks nationally as one of the “Top 20 Emerging Leaders in Food and Agriculture” in the United States.
Solomon Garner, Ohio State University Extension Educator
Solomon Garner is an OSU Extension Educator. He obtained his Bachelor’s of Science degree from The Ohio State University, majoring in Community Leadership with a Leadership Specialization and a minor in Youth Development. He also has an Organizational Leadership Certificate from Otterbein University. He graduated recently with a Master’s degree through the Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership. With a passion for helping people, a part of his belief is to give back and build for the future. Solomon is a native to Columbus, Ohio and in his downtime, he’s out with his dog, completing a fitness routine, or trying a new restaurant or venue.
Tamika Vinson-Reid, Community Partner
As a community mobilizer and consensus builder, Tamika Vinson Reid is the Chair of the Delaware African American Heritage Council and advisor for the Delaware County Democratic Party Anti-racism Committee. Her board appointments include Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission Community Advisory Committee, Delaware General Public Health Community Health Improvement Plan partnership, Delaware-Morrow Mental Health & Recovery Services Board, Andrews House, and Concerned Citizens Against Homelessness, the founding organization for Family Promise of Delaware County. She graduated from Leadership Columbus (Class of 2014), Ohio Political Leaders Fellowship through the Center for Progressive Leadership and Leadership Delaware (Class of 2010). Tamika participated in the Sen. Ray Miller Institute for Leadership & Change through The Ohio State University. Tamika is passionate about advocating for racial equity and justice, inclusion, and belongingness, policy development, and youth empowerment.
Whitney Gherman, Principal Investigator
Whitney holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan and is currently a Ph.D. student in Teaching and Learning specializing in Multicultural and Equity Studies in Education from the College of Education and Human Ecology at The Ohio State University. Her research advances efforts around family engagement and elevates youth voice to improve school policies, programs, and practices. “Project DREAMS” examines how anecdotal and personal experiences of high school students connect to wider cultural, political, and social meanings of race, racism, belonging, and othering. In 2021, Ohio’s Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Commission awarded her for her ability to keep Dr. King’s dream alive and advance his philosophy of nonviolent social change. Whitney has also been featured in dozens of publications and webinars, including Voyage Ohio Magazine and a social work textbook, “Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice: Building Social Work Practices Skills.” She has won additional local, state, and national awards for promoting diversity, and her approach to racial justice is described by her peers as “warm, open, and authentic.”
When she’s not working or studying, Whitney connects to her ancestry and the natural world with her partner, Chris, and their 9-year-old daughter, Isa. She loves to read, eat good food, and spend time outdoors. Her sign is Libra, and her Instagram handle is @whitneygherman.