Maya Gwynn
With KVCR Public Media, I'm Maya Gwynn with Black Perspectives IE, a show where we learn about the amazing things members of the Black community are doing in the Inland Empire. My guest today is Dr. Gwendolyn Dowdy-Rodgers, San Bernardino County Board of Education President. Thank you so much for being here today.
Dr. Gwendoline Dowdy-Rodgers
Thank you for having me very excited about being here.
Maya Gwynn
So your work spans education, social services and nonprofit leadership. What personal experiences have influenced your approach to want to advocate for vulnerable communities?
Dr. Gwendoline Dowdy-Rodgers
So as many know, I was born and raised here in the city of San Bernardino, so I grew up, you know, understanding that people have needs, and a lot of times they don't voice it. They're embarrassed to do it. But I grew up in a family that says, you know, we work together, we help each other, and we help others. And so I found myself later on seeing the same thing as an adult, like people still don't want to share about their concerns. And I was like, well, rather than me, just look upon that. Let me do something about it, and I start creating avenues and start engaging in ways that I can give back.
Maya Gwynn
Equity is a major theme in your work. In your opinion, what systemic changes still need to happen to ensure all youth and families have access to quality education resources?
Dr. Gwendoline Dowdy-Rodgers
We need to acknowledge it's just like with anything else, that there is a disparity there, that there is a problem, that we didn't create it. You know, we don't have to get into how it started, but we have to be about doing it. So being the voice, you know, for that, and just saying, here is this person. We don't have to categorize them, but how about we just address what's happening, and then when we find out that it's happening more than not, then we have to put something in policy to say, ‘You know what, if it's happening with this one or two type of people, let's do it for everybody.’
Maya Gwynn
What role does parental advocacy and community engagement play in shaping better educational outcomes? And how do you personally encourage more families to get involved?
Dr. Gwendoline Dowdy-Rodgers
Man, you are all in my lane, you did your back work. Because that is what has me in the position that I am, is fighting for parents. I never expected to be an elected official or any of those titles that come along with it, which is why I still tell people I'm a public servant. It reminds me that I serve. But parents, even though they were parents, felt they didn't have a voice, didn't know how to communicate, didn't know how to engage. And I kept telling them, all I could think about is I'm doing this because my parents did it for me, and I'm even gonna do it at a greater level because they're pushing me to be the better side of me. So when I took parents along with me and said, I'll be there with you, it was just showing up half the time, not knowing, but just being there because I wanted them to know, these are your children. Your voice is so important, and so I am always pushing parents to be where they're supposed to be. On the other hand, I hold them accountable when they're not where they're supposed to be. You can't complain, because people are big at saying parents don't care, especially black parents. They'll say, ‘Well, the black parents may not care’, but often it's not knowing how to advocate, feeling inferior to others. I didn't get to where I was staying at home, and neither did my parents. I was raised by a father and mother, but my father had a third-grade education. He just knew how to tell us to do what was appropriate, what was right, and he stayed in his role as a dad, and we respected him greatly. And I am who I am because of them today. So I bring the best out in other parents and try to give them a voice.
Maya Gwynn
That's amazing. And as the founder of the Young Women's Empowerment Foundation, what inspired you to create this organization, and what impact have you seen over the 21 years?
Dr. Gwendoline Dowdy-Rodgers
Man, my inspiration was and is because I don't have natural sisters. I now have all types of sisters. You know, I'm a part of the D9 Zeta Phi Beta, and I saw a need because girls were not getting along, and in my case, it was because of a school that was new, that was brought together. Multiple sides of a city coming together, not knowing each other, and I saw girls just hating on each other on the front-page news, fighting. And I said, there's got to be something more to this. And I just wanted to understand, why would you fight? Because, to me, I wanted the sisters that I could wear her clothes, yeah, you know, I wanted the sister that would show me how to put makeup on. And so, I came in with a mindset of sisterhood. I loved on those girls. It went from a book club, volunteering to be a book club, to an actual curriculum for them, creating workshops. I created conferences. They even come to San Bernardino Valley College, you know, and meet the president. It was just about bringing them together and teaching them that each of you possess something that can help the other. You got to stop looking at the negative and work together. And my biggest moment when I knew it was important, I missed a day because I was working in corporate America. When I came back, the young ladies, they checked me – “Well, where were you?” Oh, and I thought, okay, little ladies, but it gave me a reality check. Like, if you're gonna do this, you gotta show up. And from there on, I continue to show up, continue to be my best self. We had some people that said that if they didn't have an outlet like this, they were going to create self-harm. I did not know what social emotional was 21 years ago. I was doing a work that now has a name so social, emotional and academic enrichment, because I wanted the girls to know that education is important, something that you can't take away. But I realized they can't focus on doing schoolwork when they're worried about, you know, the traumas that they're facing and things that they're ashamed of. And I taught them, you know, you can find the best in each other. And we did an assignment one day that said, just look at the girl next to you and say something positive. And they begin to, “I love your hair. I love your eyes.” And they cried, and from there, empowered to excel, the curriculum that is now a part of it and in many schools now became the premise of why young women empowerment exists.
Maya Gwynn
And we're going to move into our rapid fire portion. So just the first thing that comes to mind, no wrong answers. If your work had a theme song, what would it be?
Dr. Gwendoline Dowdy-Rodgers
Get It Girl
Maya Gwynn
I love that. If you had to teach a master class or give a TED Talk and a random skill that you have, what would it be?
Dr. Gwendoline Dowdy-Rodgers
How to do public speaking.
Maya Gwynn
Oh, that's a really good one. And what is your favorite IE restaurant or landmark that reminds you of the Inland Empire?
Dr. Gwendoline Dowdy-Rodgers
Oh, you know Mitlas is gone now, but I love Mexican food. And so Mitlas was one that back in the day, when we, you know, when we were going out and we were out late, we would always be able to go there and get these massive burritos and just eat them. And they would just, oh my gosh, I can taste it right now. And they, they finally went away
Maya Gwynn
Thank you so much for being here today.
Dr. Gwendoline Dowdy-Rodgers
Thank you for having me.
Maya Gwynn
How can we keep up with your work and support you?
Dr. Gwendoline Dowdy-Rodgers
Oh my gosh. Follow me on Facebook, Gwen Rogers, and then I have Dr. Gwen Dowdy-Rodgers and Dr. Gwen Dowdy-Rodgers is more about the campaign work that I do with the school districts.
Maya Gwynn
Thank you so much for being here today. I really appreciate talking to you. Dr Gwendolyn Dowdy-Rodgers is the San Bernardino County Board of Education President. Support for this segment comes from Black Equity Fund at IECF, advancing racial equity and supporting long term investments in black led organizations and Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Join us again next week for Black Perspectives IE. For KVCR Public Media, I'm Maya Gwynn. Thank you.
