Wilma: The Modern-Day Griot

After you have toured and traveled with me through the many chapters of Wilma, it is my fervent hope that you will challenge yourself to take it a step further and share your gift of writing. Petition yourself and encourage others to write their memoires and lift up and promote the value of family history. To keep the foundation of the family alive and thriving, we dig deep within our roots with varied traditions and legacies, both individual and collected contributions. In our rich culture, we're still writing history, even today. And I encourage you to capture treasured oral and written history, especially from elder family members. Wilma was born in 1939 and spent her childhood in a small rural settlement called Caney Well, Texas (near Clarksville, Texas). This setting was void of paved roads, electricity, indoor plumbing, and bathrooms, compared to the conveniences we enjoy today. She is the product of a mother who was an entrepreneur, a freedom fighter, and a loving family. Wilma took these values and graduated from Langston University earning a bachelor's degree. She later earned master's degrees from Antioch of Ohio and National University of California. She is a passionate angler, entrepreneur, artist, insurance agent, and real estate investor. She has lived in Los Angeles, California where she taught school and mentored teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District. She is inspired to press for maximizing knowledge and spreading historical contributions of life and history. The major thrust of the book is to inspire others to write their story.