Mini Introduction

My name is Lisa Chavis.  I am a Born Again believer of the Lord Jesus Christ, married, with one daughter and a proud grandmother of two beautiful and energetic grandsons.I grew up in the City of Newark at a time when the term"hood" as referred to by the current generation, was called a "neighborhood". It was a safe place then where people had integrity about themselves, where parents though working menial jobs at the time, went to work every day to provide for their families, and children went off to school with the understanding of earning a quality education in hopes of some day helping the family improve the quality of their lives.

I grow up in a loving community where my siblings and cousins were my friends. All of the women in family subscribed to honoring their husbands and taking care of their children. So the term "feminist" is not a word I heard too often growing up. Although my aunt graduated college in the 5o's she never worked a day in her life. The only feminist in know of in the family is my oldest sister.  One day my father gave her a doll and my brother a red fire truck. She told my father she preferred the red fire truck. Currently I am a senior attending Rutgers part time, soon to graduate with a degree in Public Service. My hope is to go on to graduate school and get my first masters before my grandsons. I am employed at New Community Harmony House, the largest transitional housing facility for homeless and displaced families in the country, where I serve in the capacity of supervisor. My professional career, I love helping hurting women heal and working with children. Sometime ago I started a community outreach project birthed out of an experience I encountered while working with high school students at a Christian Academy, whose parents were more active in the church instead of the home. Right now the rite of passage project is in its final stage before implementation. The goal of the program is to empower youth (young girls ages 7-17) in the inner city navigate their way safely through adolescence and into adulthood in a safe and caring environment as a way of saying we see you, we support you. 

“Education is the process that prepares the young for their future membership and active participation in the maintenance or development of a society” (Nyeruer 1967)

 

 

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