Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Gwendoline Alpha Young Fortune is December Recipient of 'Individuals Who DARE To Lead'

[Gwendoline Alpha Young Fortune]

AfriClassical has no stauncher supporter than Gwen Fortune, who has also spent years researching and compiling her own 13-part audio series on CD, We Do It All: Classical Music Composed and Performed by People of African Descent. Each program is one hour long and is devoted to examples of Vocal Art Music. She has published such historical novels as Family Lines and Weaving the Journey: Noni and the Great Grands. We congratulate her on becoming the 12th recipient of “Individuals Who DARE to Lead.” She tells us: “This presentation was a surprise. The granddaughter of Mary McCleod Bethune, Evelyn Bethune, invited me to be a member of this group. All I have done is contribute comments to the conversations. Perhaps 'being oneself' does help.” Gwen has also expressed her thanks to the organization:

“Gratitude
by Gwendoline Y. Fortune
My unlimited thanks to 'Individuals Who DARE to LEAD' for honoring me by your selection of my small contribution as your December 2010 Recipient. I am humbled. I will continue to do everything I can to merit your selection and to serve to the best of my ability.”

Excerpts from today's announcement follow:
Educational Leader, Author, Community Activist
A native of Texas, with paternal roots in the Carolinas, Gwendoline Alpha Young Fortune has lived most of her life in Illinois. She is an educator in Interdisciplinary Social Science and a classically trained soprano who has sung in the US and Europe. She wrote regular columns for Illinois and North Carolina newspapers and guest columns for magazines and journals.

“Gwen Fortune’s intent and goal are to share perspectives on American life that differ from the stereotypical model of people of color. Her experience is a reflection of her African-European-Indigenous American heritage, study, and travel on five continents.

“Her Bachelor of Arts Degree, cum laude, is from Johnson C. Smith University; her Master of Science Degree in Social Science Education is from South Carolina State University; a Master of Philosophy from Roosevelt University was followed by the Doctorate in Education (Ed. D.) in Higher Education from Nova University. An inveterate learner, she began college at Bennett College, then, attended Juilliard School of Music. Courses from the U of MA and Michigan State University were study-tours in Africa and China. Teaching began in the Chicago city schools. She was Instructional Team Coordinator-Teacher at Old Orchard Junior High in Skokie, IL. Formal academic assignment was as Professor of History and Social Science and Coordinator of Ethnic Studies at Oakton Community College in Des Plaines, IL. She was Ethnic Studies Consultant for the Chicago Consortium of Colleges and Universities at Loyola University.

“Following her years in education, Gwendoline moved to North Carolina where she was co-organizer for Macon County Writers, member of the Board of Trustees of the North Carolina Writers' Network, and 2008 judge for the 'Heritage Poetry Contest,' for the North Carolina Poetry Society. She received a Blumenthal Readers and Writers award from the North Carolina Writers’ Network, and, second place in the Quarterly Black Review's-Poets and Writers Toni Cade Bambara Fiction Contest. Noted authors have written favorable reviews of her novels.”
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