Celebration & Colloquium

Honoring Dr. E. Babette Edwards: Harlem’s “Othermother”

Wed, Apr 5, 2023

5:00 PM–7:00 PM

Shepard Hall, Room 350, The City College of New York, 160 Convent Ave, New York, NY 10031. Please register below.

Click here to Register and attend this event.

The guest of honorDr. E. Babette Edwards will be joined by organizer Terri N. Watson(The City College of New York and CUNY Graduate Center), and distinguished educators, Sean L. Davenport(Superintendent of District #5. “Harlem’s School District”), Marta Gutman(Dean of the Spitzer School of Architecture at CCNY, CUNY), Nan Eileen Mead(Education Policy Advocate, Teachers College, Columbia University), Basil Smikle, (Director of the Public Policy Program and the Roosevelt House Institute for Public Policy at Hunter College, CUNY), and Kadiatou Tubman (Manager of Education Programs and Outreach at the Schomburg Center).

Top row: Terri N. Watson, Sean L. Davenport, Marta Gutman. Bottom row: Nan Eileen Mead, Basil Smikle, Kadiatou Tubman.

Read “A Love Letter to Babette Edwards: Harlem’s Othermother” in which Dr. Terri N. Watson explores the life and activism of Dr. E. Babette Edwards, a parent activist, educational advocate and community leader (a noted pioneer in the movement for community control), who steadfastly believes in Harlem’s children and has spent a lifetime fighting for them and their education.

“Importantly, Edwards’ efforts on behalf of Harlem’s children reinforces Black women’s inherent value and sense of humanity in spaces that have historically “mis-educated” children of color. The life and life work of Dr. E. Babette Edwards reminds us that Harlem’s children deserve the very best teachers, school leaders, and educational opportunities. As an education researcher and one of Harlem’s daughters, I am grateful for Dr. Edwards’ contributions to Harlem and its public schools. History often reminds us of the lessons we have yet to learn and as Dr. Edwards reminded me, “We have to keep on keeping on!” Thank you for your light, Dr. Edwards, I love you! Harlem loves you!”

-Dr Terri N. Watson

This event is part of The Schools We Need: Lessons Learned from Harlem project in conjunction with the Seminar on Public Engagement and Collaborative Research at the Center for the Humanities at the CUNY Graduate Center, and is co-sponsored by The City College of New York’s Office for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging; The PublicsLab at CUNY, and the Roosevelt House Institute for Public Policy at Hunter College.