Yahara A.

Henderson

Family Modernity
Social Theory
 In the year of 1926 in the month of May Evelena Stroman Kemp was born, during the

mist of the birth of the “New Deal Era” a time when America was shifting her gears towards a

more modern state. Born in Orangeburg, South Carolina there was little hope for blacks to

receive a decent education; however, she was determined to achieve her High School Diploma.

The highest level a black child could receive in a small farmer’s town was, such as Orangeburg,

was an eighth grade education which completed before her family moved to West Palm Beach,

Florida where she met and married Robert Kemp. Fourteen years after having her last child Mrs.

Kemp decided to finish her education. In her mind she wanted her future seeds to know that

education is important, and that education provides a better future with unnumbered

opportunities. At the age of 44 Mrs. Kemp became a high school graduate and always pushed

the issue that education was the key. It was as if she knew some day her actions would give

strength to her future seeds, such as, her grandchildren, nieces, and nephews that one day might

wanted to give up on being educated; she would tell them to keep on striding, telling her story

for inspiration; she would always say “ there may be things that get in your way and trying to

stop your progress, but never give up on your dream” “I don’t care how long it takes never give

up on your dream!” The understanding that I got from her quote was that “Education Opens

Doors” door’s that she herself wanted to walk through, but was all ready established in life

survival skills for her time, yet she never gave up on her dream to get her high school diploma.

This may seem small to some people, but this was her dream and a great accomplishment for her,

especially, from the era she was born in. Mrs. Evelena Stroman Kemp was my Grandmother and

it is because of her determination, to receive her high school diploma, which I myself draw

strength from when I want to give up and give in on life ever changes.

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 Knowing my history, and compassionate to the struggles of my ancestors just for us as

black people to be able to acquire higher education, civil rights, equality, and respect sets the

foundation for me to become better educated and exposed for a more fulfilling life.

Nevertheless, it was my grandmother’s achievements that boosted the drive within me for

knowledge. You see, I dropped out of school in my tenth grade year, young, dumb and in love I

married at the age of sixteen; I thought I did not need an education to work I just needed to work

to help out in the house hold and live life. After several years of working low wage jobs, such as

cashier, housekeeping, waitress, office cleaning, and gas station attendant I started desiring better

pay, lesser labor, and more skills. How does one obtain a better way in life? Education! Indeed

I listened to my grandmother talks about schooling, except I was not hearing her.

Once I started my journey, to better my conditions in life, is when I saw more and more

incorporations of an absolute good life of society. The higher my levels of education the better

my income became the better the progress was for me. Once I received my G.E.D. and a trade in

Data Entry Operations. That’s when I was able to secure a job in an office setting and gained

more exposure to other means of life. The more knowledge I obtain about the job operations the

more valuable I became for the company the better I fit into the company, namely, society. For

instance, I started as a file clerk in an insurance company after six months I applied for the

Marketing assistant position and was awarded the position then I was used in other areas of the

company when needed as receptionist or mail clerk. Yet, I could only go but so far within the

company as far as my level of education would allow me. However when the company was

facing financial troubles and had to down size my position in the company was saved because of

the many hats I could ware to help maintain the areas that was down sized. That’s when I

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decided to continue my education and enter into college. I started realizing the higher the level

of degrees the more valuable you are to the company or society.

Undoubtedly, a college degree helps sustain employment or puts you in a better position

to sustain employment, unlike, a vocational skill. Incidentally, it’s what people do with their

education that give way to their quality of life. For example, my cousin Willie and his sister

Natisha were the first grandchildren to college, both attended the University of Florida one

received a Economic degree and the other a Health Science degree. Willie started off strong in

his field of Economics gaining experience through his jobs he received; however, life’s exposure

began to consume his opportunities; now it’s hard for him to achieve his capabilities. He

allowed the corruption of life’s hidden treasures steal his opportunities, such as drugs and

alcohol. On the other hand, Natisha, who graduated several years afterwards, has taken full

advantage of her education. When she desired a better stanza in her employment she entered

back into school to obtain a master’s degree in her field of employment enhancing not only her

finances, but her quality of life. Indeed, a college education opens up more opportunities for

you, thus, it’s what you do with it that sustains you.

Progress is what our Grandmother desired for her family; otherwise, you would be just a

contributing factor to societies down falls. Moreover, there is so much in society that still

anchor’s inequality among race, gender, and ethnicity. I hope to become a positive figure within

my family and community as a social change agent in the area of stratification; certainly, to stir

not only my family members that coming up behind me, but also to every person that has a

dream, desire, or determination to increase their chances in society, as well as, a better

understand of historical facts, but to other races and cultures, as well, that seem to be looked at as

“society hopeless people.” In constrast, my Grandmother started a meaningful tradition, you

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must never give up on your dream no matter what it may be, or how long it takes you to

accomplish it, within our family, and that education is key to an exposure of life greatest

opportunities; in fact, all her children and Grandchildren has at least complete a high school

education with the exception of one, my brother Arsenio, who is still working towards achieving

his G.E.D. along with some of us taking our education a step further in entering into college

providing better leverages of opportunities. We came up with the notion of “each one teach one”

meaning once you make it reach back, and help someone else make it. Grandmother did not

hold a college degree; in fact, she was satisfied with her high school diploma. Yet, through her

exposure in life, over the decades, she is highly respectfully rated to me, as one of the greatest

professor’s whose teachings of history, stratification, respect for other’s no matter how different

they may be to you, and the value of an education. She lived through the era of transformation,

yet, hold on to morals, values, and culture. This tradition of edification continues on throughout

our family and those that surrounds us. Her determination is instilled in all of us including her

great grandchildren. All though, we can’t force this on everybody we meet, but we certainly can

be an example to others by being a social change agent.