Melita Walker is the principal of Columbia’s West Middle School, and president and co-founder of The BOLD Academy. It works to empower young Black and Brown women of the community through mentorship, educational and leadership opportunities.
Walker talked with us recently about what it means to see Vice President Kamala Harris become the first Black, South Asian and female Vice President of the United States.
Here’s an excerpt from Walker's conversation with KBIA's Xcaret Nunez.
Melita Walker: You know, representation is everything. And I know sometimes it sounds trite and very simple, but the reality is, you cannot be what you cannot see, because you can't, you can't imagine it for yourself. You know, I was just sharing this story with some of my friends, that it wasn't until middle school that I had one black educator. And it wasn't until high school that I saw my second black educator. I've earned my doctorate at this point and through my journey as an educator from undergraduate, to graduate, to postgraduate, I had one black professor. And so when I was deciding what I could be, I knew I could be a black educator because I had one or two. And so, having Kamala Harris, as our Vice President, shows these girls that they can be any and everything that they want to be, and that there is no level that is too high for them to pursue, and to achieve. And that is what I relish in, like, I'm so excited for the future of black and brown girls.
Xcaret Nunez: Oh, my gosh, you made me... I have chills. And so, do you see the vice president empowering those voices of the young girls of this community?
Walker: Absolutely. I'm excited to see what their bold initiatives will be as the new President and Vice President. And one of our values is building up our community and serving our community. And so we ask our students to participate in our local youth chapters of community activism and policymakers, in partnership with the committee. So it's not just about serving themselves, but also serving their community and people. And I can't wait to see how Kamala and President Biden serve our great nation, because it hasn't been great for everybody. And so it's not going to be great right away. But, I believe in them and I believe in their vision to make things better for black and brown people.
Nunez: What could this representation mean for the future generations of young women, and what else they go on to do?
Walker: Well, I hope that seeing Kamala Harris in this position, helps our young ladies understand that when we talk about diversity and having a voice to support your community. It really is at the policy level. So being a part of the city council, running for mayor or running for state office, it's the policies where we will see the greatest change. ---- And it's the policymakers that make those changes, and we need policymakers who look like us.
