[#SpecMagShorts] William Jackson, Village of Wisdom Founder: Protecting Black Genius

DURHAM, NC – Black Genius is realized when the talents, intellect, and creativity of Black children are nurtured instead of negated. The Village of Wisdom (VOW) and its founder William Jackson helps parents and teachers unlock the gifts, talents, and prior knowledge of Black students. As VOW’s Chief Dreamer, Jackson knows that Black parents care the most for Black students in schools. Unfortunately, Black parents are often excluded and pushed out of schools, and even worse they have to help their children cope with racial bias in schools. The recipient of a $25,000 Duke Energy Foundation Social Justice & Racial Equity grant, VOW will use the grant to further their work helping parents, students and teachers have more productive conversations about creating ideal learning environments for children of color.

In this episode of #SpecMagShorts, Village of Wisdom founder William Jackson has an in-depth conversation with host Phyllis Coley about the work of the organization, the meaning of Black Genius, and how it uses the Black Genius brand as a tool to raise awareness about their work. He also explains how the Duke Energy Foundation’s grant will be used for the nonprofit’s organizing work with Black families that includes both building families’ capacity to navigate and cope with racial bias and build community connections and advocacy skills.

[Watch #SpecMagShorts] WILLIAM JACKSON (Village of Wisdom): Protecting Black Genius

Village of Wisdom is a collective of Black parents and their supporters dedicated to creating more culturally affirming learning environments for Black people by learning, refining, and using the Black Genius Elements.

VOW invites parents, students, and members of the community to partner with their deeply committed, caring, and creative consulting team to meet your and/or your organization’s short and long-term objectives. They want to help organizations reach their educational equity goals and mission. Using a collaborative approach, VOW offers consulting structured by deep listening and observation, one-on-one leadership support, systems analysis and design, and end-to-end capacity building for organizations.

For more information about the Village of Wisdom, visit villageofwisdom.org.

Five Durham-area grant recipients will discuss the grant and how it will make a difference in the communities they serve when they appear as guests on Spectacular Magazine’s web-series, “#SpecMagShorts.”

“I am excited that Village of Wisdom, Knox Studios, NC Institute for Minority Economic Development, Mentor NC, and Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People were among the grant recipients and will be supported in their work to break down barriers, spur meaningful dialogue and provide resources and opportunity to the Black community,” says Indira Everett, District Manager at Duke Energy.

The $1 million in grants and expanded internal programs build upon Duke Energy’s past efforts to support and encourage diversity, equity, and inclusion within the company and the communities we serve.

Everett goes on to say, “This is only a start. I, along with other Duke Energy employees, will continue to engage with Durham-based and statewide organizations and leaders to be a part of the long-term solution to the social justice issues our communities face. I am proud to work for a company that makes social justice and racial equity a priority and is taking action to end systemic racism.”

For more information about the Duke Energy Foundation Social Justice & Racial Equity Grant, visit www.duke-energy.com.