In this episode, Ed and Jentre visit with Dr. La Verne Ford Wimberly. Dr. Wimberly is a veteran career educator who played a role in desegregating the Tulsa Public school system. She later became the first interim African American female superintendent of TPS and has a trail of honors in her wake, including her latest honor as the inaugural recipient of the Ellis Walker Woods Award given by the Brock Institute in partnership with OSU-Tulsa.

Dr. Wimberly was most recently the chairperson of the Greenwood Cultural Center Board of Directors and the chair of the Board of Trustees at her beloved Metropolitan Baptist Church. The library at her alma mater, Booker T. Washington High School, is named after Dr. Wimberly and there are murals of her in schools throughout Tulsa.

After posting selfies in her Sunday best for fifty-two consecutive weeks during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Wimberly became a viral sensation for her hats, her smile, and most of all, her joy. Her book, My Sunday Best beautifully displays her wisdom, warmth, and wit. She reminds us, loving God, loving people, and having fun are the hallmarks of a life well lived.

Links:

https://aalbc.com/authors/author.php?author_name=La+Verne+Ford+Wimberly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5KQ1DsTcLE

To learn more about the Innovating Education Podcast and work of the Brock Institute, click here.