I am Dr. Valcine D. Brown. My goal is to leave a positive mark on the academic outcomes for people of color. Nelson Mandela said that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” If reading were not a key to power and advancement, there would not have been laws in the U.S. outlawing teaching Black people how to read.
My question to myself, how can I help people of color enjoy reading and learn to wield it like a super power? This question fuels my drive to revamp curriculum for English Language Arts and research the intersection of reading and attitudes toward reading.
In pursuing my purpose, I have earned a BA in English Language Arts (Cal State University, San Bernardino), an MFA in Humanities: Creative Writing (Tiffin University), an MFA in English Literature (Southern New Hampshire University, and a PhD in Education: Curriculum and Instruction (Liberty University).