Makeda with Ned Diamond, CSUS math and Bridge Site Coordinator
Makeda grew up in East Palo Alto, CA and attended CSUS for high school. She related to us how much she loved her Crystal experience and that the long train ride each school day did not bother her a bit. She told of the great importance that formal education meant to her family. Both her parents have college degrees and her grand father was the Mayor of EPA!
While in college at Pitzer, her academic passion was writing screen plays, and she thought her career was certainly to be a famous writer. She took some time away from writing and began teaching 4th grade. She found herself in a room full of wonderful, under-served children with almost suffocating needs; educational and emotional. To begin to satisfy those myriad needs, she founded An Open Door non-profit. http://anopendoor-la.org/home/about-us/ Her sole calling now is to continue working with those under-served youth through her non-profit and to "strenghten the family unit in hopes of improving our society."
She gave the students a handout called E. P. G. B.
Get an Education!
"Knowledge is the foundation that empowers me to make good choices and see positive results."
Live your Purpose.
"What is your passion? What is your dream? Strive to do that which you were born to do. Dream big and never give up."
Give Back
"Everyone can do something to help someone else in need."
Makeda's message and personal experience were inspirational for all of us. Keep up your good work my dear friend.
Liz came to campus today for a visit and enjoyed lunch with Tom Woosnam, Kent Holubar, Deb Hunt, Wells Wadleigh, Bill Kwong and Tim Patterson. Liz and her family are back from some serious travel, and she has lots of great stories. I taught her Spanish back in the day, and she had reason to use it for real in Spain and South America. She, Mike and the three boys are all healthy and happy.
Jake is surrounded by friends and former colleagues at CSUS who gathered from far and near to celebrate his 60th birthday at Thacher School in Ojai, CA. From left to right: John Draper, Tom Robinson (English), Jake (English), Mike Petty (history) and Alison Anderson Draper (English). We taught together in the late 70's and have been the best of friends ever since.
