In My Family We Believe
My life is a life of firsts.
I am the first to tell this story –
my story. I grew up in a small town in the
south, in DeRidder, Louisiana to be exact, population – 10,639. One of those “one stop light” towns you read
about in old novels. I am the third of eight children (four boys and four
girls) born into a single parent home. My mother was a strong black woman, and as
the Apostle Paul might say, this is a true saying - my mother loved each and every one of us. However, on most days, I
don’t think my mother liked us very much.
I believe she spent far too many days feeling sad and angry, because she
saw us as her burdens to bear. Yes, she
had created each of us; but the weight of caring for us alone took its toll on
her daily. My mother worked whenever she
could, but truth be told, she raised eight children by the grace of God and
with some much needed assistance from the church/community. And lest I paint an unfair picture of my
mother, I must also share that my Mother did three things very well, and I will
always love her for it – she made sure that we had food, clothing, and shelter;
she made sure that we graduated from High School; and she made sure that we
attended church every time the church doors were open (I can thank God and my
mother for my strong Christian foundation).
For the greater part of my
childhood, I don’t remember having a father; however, I know that God has
watched over me and taken care of me better than any earthly father could
that’s why Psalm 23 is so special to me.
It reminds me that God is not only looking out for me…it reminds me that
He loves me and that He is protecting me (this gives me peace in difficult
times).
Many years ago this story (at least
these very personal aspects of my story) would have brought me to tears, and I
must admit that throughout my childhood, it often caused me pain. But today, I’m not sharing my story of very
humble beginnings with you to gain your sympathy. I have chosen to share my
story, because it’s extremely important for you to see where I came from in
order to even begin to appreciate where I am today. In my family, we believe in the following:
1) We
believe in family - It takes a village to raise a child – relatives (near and
far), community, church, school (teachers); I think that’s why I believe that
collaboration helps you achieve goals…
2) In
my family, we believe that - you should Respect your Elders – in the south and
in particular in the church, children were taught to respect everyone in
authority.
3) In
my family, we believe that - Education is important (my mother only had a high
school diploma but she made sure all eight of her children graduated from high
school, and she encouraged us to go to College as well).
4) In
my family, we believe that - Faith in God is paramount. It is your rock, sword, and shield. We believe Jesus is the Son of God. We believe in the Holy Trinity. We believe in the character of God (who God
is) as well as the power of God (what God does).
5) In
my family, we believe – that you can do anything you want to do if you work
hard, treat people right, believe in yourself, and trust in God…AND SO CAN
OTHERS. In other words, we were taught
to encourage others to do their very best (while growing up, this applied
mostly to my siblings, but today, particularly as a leader, I take this
teaching to heart as I strive to help my staff, co-workers and colleagues achieve
their goals).
6) In
my family, we believe – in telling it like it is. My Mother used to tell me that I was the
child that really didn’t like “stupid” stuff; she said things needed to make
sense to me…I think that still applies to me in my work…I tend to be more
practical, pragmatic, logical, tactical…so sometimes that means that I am less
creative than I would like to be; so, when I hire people I look for people who
are creative, who think outside the box…who complement my strengths.
My life is a life of firsts.
My mother, when she was alive (she
died in December 2008), loved to tell the story about how I was the first “little
black girl” to truly integrate what was then known as the “white” pool. If this incident is true, and I have no
reason to doubt it, then this was certainly a preview of what was to come
(particularly my focus on diversity, equity). In 1987, I became the first of my mother’s
eight children to graduate from college.
In 1988, I became the first of my mother’s girls to enter and serve in the
military (all of her sons did). I served in the US Air Force during Desert
Storm.
My professional life followed a similar path. In 1991, I became the first Director of the
Business Education Science Team (BEST) program started at California State University,
Sacramento. I was also the first Director of the Mathematics, Engineering, and
Science Achievement (MESA) Program at the University of the Pacific in
Stockton, CA. In 1998, I became the
first Associate Director of the Statewide MESA Program housed at the University
of California, Berkeley; and in 2001, I became the first Director of Education,
Training, and Outreach for the National GEM Consortium then housed at the University
of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN. From
there, in 2005, I became the first Director of Diversity Programs in
Engineering at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. This position opened the door for me to serve
in my current role as the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education and Director
of the Office of Minority Education here at MIT. I joined the MIT staff in
August 2009.
So how did I do it? How did a
little black girl from a small town in Louisiana make it from there to here? Well, my path was not some mystical yellow
brick road. It was a path of prayer and faith in God. My mother was a praying woman. She prayed for us, and she read her Bible
every night. She may not have regularly attended church herself, but as I
stated earlier; she made sure that her children did. My faith in God and my love for Jesus Christ is
the cornerstone of my life, and as Maya Angelou once said, “I wouldn’t take nothing for my journey now”. In my family, we believe that it is okay to
want more…that where you start doesn’t necessarily determine where you will
finish. We believe, much like Dr. King
and Dr. Angelou that “A person is the product of their dreams. So
make sure to dream great dreams. And then try to live your dream.” This is the ilk that I am made of
– a fabric woven with cords of faith, hope, strength, perseverance, power, and
determination - and it is this foundation that prepared me for the “first” that
would change my life forever…
On Sunday, April 25, 2004 (the day after my 39th birthday), I
preached my first sermon and became the first woman preacher in the history of
the Pilgrim Baptist Church in South Bend, In. This is my calling. This is my charge. I carry it out in all areas of my life, even
here at MIT if I am led or called upon by students, staff, or faculty to do so. Like Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “I have a dream that one day every valley
shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places
will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory
of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.” Thank you and God bless you.
DiOnetta Jones
Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education and Director of the Office of Minority Education
DiOnetta Jones
Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education and Director of the Office of Minority Education
