Sitting around the table with Bill Gates

You may have noticed that it’s been a while since I last wrote a blog entry. I assure you that my absence from the blogosphere has nothing to do with lack of material. The past month has been a blur of activity, and I’ve been involved in some very interesting things. At the end of July, I attended the annual … Read More

Brown v. Board: Is our nation’s education system equal?

A word from Phyllis Nichols, Knoxville Area Urban League President and CEO I recently attended a conference in Washington, DC aimed at reversing the dropout crisis and closing the achievement gap in minority communities. People from throughout the country were there – Hispanic, African American, Asian, Pacific Islanders and Native American. It was an amazing and informative conference that invigorated … Read More

Got Shoes?

A word from Phyllis Nichols, Knoxville Area Urban League President and CEO For most of us, we’ve never had to think about having decent shoes or school supplies. No big deal. They were simply there. But for kids who don’t have them, it’s a big deal! Last week, I talked about my love of reading and how important it is … Read More