2021 GlobalMindED
The Future of Work is Diverse, Inclusive, Just and Equitable
GlobalMindED closes the equity gap by creating a capable, diverse talent pipeline through connections to role models, mentors, internships for low-income students, returning adults, First Gen to college and inclusive leaders who teach them, work with them and hire them.
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As we celebrate International Women this month, we feature outstanding women every day. Today, we meet Dr. Queinnise Miller, Educator and Author. Queinnise works diligently in achieving knowledge. She is extremely strong-willed, a leader, and works tirelessly to motivate others to succeed. Start your week with her story and prepare to be inspired!
Upcoming March Equity Events Celebrating Inclusive Women- 2:00 MST/4:00 EST click link to register, details below:
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Tell us about yourself:
My name is Dr. Queinnise Miller and I am an educator with over 20 years of experience in the field. I am a mother of two, teacher, leader, author, and speaker who focuses on the humanity of education and building authentic relationships with all stakeholders. I am currently a Middle School Principal in Houston, Texas- Catamounts Dream! but have served in education as an elementary, middle, and high school teacher in all areas- from ESL, to Spanish, to bilingual. I have also served as a department chair, assistant principal, central office senior manager, director, and educational trainer in various districts across Texas. I am a native Dallasite - “How bout dem Cowboys!” I graduated from the University of Houston with a bachelor’s in Spanish and received my Masters degree and PhD from Prairie View A&M. I have had a blessed full life and am looking forward to the future. Education is my life's work!
I come from a non-traditional stereotypical single-parent home. I say non-traditional because while my parents were young when they had me, 17 to be exact, God placed something special in them that moved them to always do what was best for the child. My mother, the smartest woman I know, worked nonstop to support me. While she received help from my father to raise me, it was not enough. She worked from sun up to sundown. This meant that I was raised by various people- I was a village baby. This wasn’t always fun, going from home to home yet I was able to learn so much from the family members who helped raise me. It was a holistic approach that made me a very well-rounded individual. Through my parents, including my stepmother, I learned that no matter the circumstances, the best thing to do is always what is best for kids. Today, that is the foundation in which I do work and inspire others- do what is best for kids and not what is convenient for adults.
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Growing up you went through adversity, but now you have a PhD, two beautiful kids, and a well-established life. How did you overcome obstacles and what motivated you to go to college and obtain your doctorate degree?
I was and continue to be motivated by the copilots of my life: God, my mother, children, & family. Each one of them represents a different form of God’s love. As an educator who believes in spreading love through education, I want to share that love with my scholars, teachers, and leaders I get to work with. I am also inspired by those who operate in love and truth in this work. Those not moved by agendas, compliance, testing accountability, but the humanity of the work (they know who they are).
Regardless of the fact that no one in my family graduated from college, they always encouraged us to do more. While they were not educated, they had an honorable and respected work ethic that was instilled in me. It was the work ethic, determination, and fortitude legacy of my family that fueled my completion of my Doctoral Degree. I am the first and only person in my family in the entire lineage from my mother and father to receive the highest level of education. This was not my success, but the success of my entire family. This was not done for myself, but to start a new legacy to continue on with the lineage of my children.
If I had to say what was the one thing that made achieving this degree possible, it would be vision. I could see the pride in my parent's faces, feel the hood being placed over me, hear the applause from mine and other black and brown families when they announced me as Dr. Queinnise Miller. A close friend of mine once told me, “if you don’t see it before you see it, you will never see it.” You must have a vision/dream for your life and faith that it will become a reality. Without it, you do yourself a disservice.
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When did you know you wanted to work in education and how did you find your life’s purpose?
I never knew I would dedicate my life to working in education. My plan was to work for the government as a bilingual translator (hilarious). I was in no way fluent enough to do so. I figured until I knew what I was going to do with my life, I would teach. It was good money and seemed easy enough. Boy was I wrong! Teachers actually didn’t (and still don’t) get paid nearly enough money and it was hard as hell! My dad told me, either you are going to fall in love with education or get out of it as quickly as possible. He was right- I fell in love with these 2nd grade ESL babies who I followed to 3rd grade because I couldn’t part with them. I fell in love with the connections we made, the relationships we built, and more importantly the academic and social growth they made as a direct impact of those relationships. I knew I would never do anything different. They made my heart smile and I couldn’t believe I could get paid for that. I decided I wanted to dedicate my life to education, not only because there was this newfound love for students but because I realized this is God’s work. I want teachers to know that it’s important to love children through education. Educators are prominent beings in the lives of ALL students. God is love and this is what he has charged all educators to do. Children need love and avocation.
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Throughout your career, you have worked with students but also teachers and administrators. How are you empowering all of those who you serve?
One of the most practical ways that I like to empower those I serve is through transparency and honesty in regard to daily work. I like to validate those who are frustrated with the bureaucracy, compliance, and accountability of this work that inhibits or gets in the way of the core of why we do what we do. In my latest book, The Art of Giving A $#!T- A Memoir for Urban Educators I talk about my own experience as a teacher, administrator, and advocate. All anecdotes and stories in TAOGAS serve as a mirror for educators to reflect on their practices and assess the motives behind why we teach. TAOGAS reminds teachers that we are called to love humans first and teach scholars second. TAOGAS gives practical and non-traditional strategies to love and educate children while you meet them where they are.
Educators must have a deep care for children in order to carry them through the school year, this means overcoming everything else that comes with being a teacher. This is the ultimate message of my book: to love children. Not only does the book provide practical tools, but it provides context for the bigger message: to literally love children as if they are our own.
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What advice would you give to young Black girls who come from similar backgrounds as yourself?
Every morning, I look at my little black beautiful daughter in her wide brown eyes and repeat with her a daily affirmation-- “You are whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious, and happy. Be patient, be humbled, and be kind. Remember you are a leader and not a follower, but when you follow, follow good leadership.” Regardless of background, every black and brown girl needs to know that these affirmations are true. They need to know that they are black magic and are the offspring of a legacy of women who exuded and executed these characteristics committed to excellence in their journey. We have been carried on the backs of so many powerful black women starting with our mothers, grandmothers, aunts, etc. It is time for us to continue this legacy of excellence and take it to new heights.
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What is the biggest piece of advice you can provide to educators and leaders worldwide?
The biggest lesson I can provide for educators is to follow their passion. This is a complex lesson because finding your passion means you have to follow your own roadmap. Sometimes one finds their passion right away, other times it takes a while longer and that is okay. The second piece of advice I would like to provide for others is that while one finds their passion and through life in general, one must be committed to being a lifelong learner. Lastly, I encourage everyone, despite their paths in life, to always lead with love. When you lead as such, everything takes care of itself and provides your life with harmony and balance.
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Audio Version of Book Introduction: |
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram: @Queinnise
LinkedIn: Queinnise Miller
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Click below to watch the Inclusive Leader Award Ceremony featuring inspirational messages from the diverse Award Winners
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GlobalMindED and the SDG Impact Fund are delighted to announce GlobalMindED's Donor Advised Fund. 2020 is the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations and the 25th Anniversary of the Beijing Women's Declaration and Action Platform. Many from around the world are thinking of 2020 as the gateway to our most vital decade for delivering equity, the Sustainable Development Goals, and a world where all can thrive. Our key time for these outcomes is 2020-2030.
GlobalMindED DAF and the SDG Impact Fund are a powerful combined force for good as the 2019 year comes to a close and we reflect on the gratitude and the commitments we make to the causes we care most about. The DAF offers immense power and flexibility for giving prior to the year's end as you plant seeds of generous intention for 2020 and the decade ahead.
When you contribute to GlobalMindED, you support First Gen students. We have served more than 400 students by connecting them to role models, mentors, internships and jobs. Your generous support will allow us to take our work 10x and reach these talented students at scale who lack the resources and support we provide. Your support also helps teachers who can't afford the conference fees, faculty at colleges which are under resourced and students who persist at those universities despite food insecurity and/or housing insecurity.
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Links to read about Inclusive Leaders, many of whom are African American and people of color:
Curated sessions from GlobalMindED 2020 YouTube channel:
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From the Center for Positive Organizations:
From the Economist:
From Forbes:
From Harvard Business Review:
From the World Academy of Art & Science and UN; Geneva Global Leadership in the 21st Century econference:
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Listen here for an interview with Pam Newkirk, GlobalMindED speaker and author of Diversity Inc.: The Failed Promise of a Billion- Dollar Business.
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Meet GlobalMindED Founder, Carol Carter as interviewed by Tim Moore on his podcast Success Made to Last: From Success to Significance
Listen to Part 1 of Carol's interview
Listen to Part 2 of Carol's interview
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Recent GlobalMindED Newsletter Profiles:
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Since 2006 when the flagship TGR Learning Lab opened its doors in Anaheim, CA, TGR Foundation has had a lot to celebrate, including its most recent milestone of one million students impacted by TGR EDU: Explore, alone.
Developed in partnership with Discovery Education, TGR EDU: Explore is a free digital resource library that offers interactive web experiences, lesson plans, training videos and tools for educators, students and families to explore new disciplines and gain skills for a modern and expanding workforce.
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As you start the New Year, are you looking for ways to re-engineer your classroom culture? Check out Designing the Future: How Engineering Builds Creative Critical Thinking in the Classroom. The associated website has lots of activities, projects, and resources you can implement immediately. Our fall workshops using the book as a roadmap for change have been highly successful. Start designing the future today - try using the customized Study Guide for a book study in your PLC. Or contact ProjectEngin or Solution Tree to learn how you can bring professional development based on Ann's book to your school, district, or conference.
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THE FLYOVER NATION
Energy's Role in a Troubled Heartland
By J.C. Whorton
A unique and timely discussion of the challenging issues facing the country’s troubled Heartland.
Since the beginning of westward expansion into the Heartland’s vast regions, natural resource development has played a historic role in shaping its communities. Today, domestic oil and gas development offers one of the strongest prospects for the Heartland’s present and future prosperity as well as the nation’s re-emergence as a dominant player in the global energy economy.
The U.S. is now the world’s largest producer of crude oil and natural gas, two circumstances that are universally disrupting international geopolitical order. The earth has a finite supply of natural resources and a rapidly growing and over consuming population.
As America positions itself for a very uncertain and constantly evolving global marketplace, will the Heartland become America’s “great connector” or “great divide”?
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J.C. Whorton is a senior level energy and financial professional with over forty years of essential experience. Having a ranching and Native American heritage, Mr. Whorton is a strong advocate for rural education and economic development initiatives.
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