Marlisha Kearney lives community. For her, it is where she and her family live, work, and entertain. To her, it means helping one another to be better than we are now. It is the future–for children, for the elderly. If the community is in turmoil, then so is she–as she put it, “Community means me.”
As an educator, Marlisha’s goal is to teach students how to navigate their community in a positive way, to be a change agent without compromising their beliefs or alienating others. She does this by being a youth mentor in her church, providing a positive influence on young people. She also speaks in their schools, helping to promote the visual image of black women in corporate jobs. Finally, she actively engages community by providing firearm safety information and handing out gun locks at the local Juneteenth celebration.
As a DEI leader in a small organization with limited resources, she understands the importance of leading the way. By attending the 2022 Forum conference, Marlisha hopes to gain a better understanding of the resources, processes, and tools that will help her organization be more inclusive. She wants to learn new DEI concepts and hear ideas from other participants, while being energized by hearing about their experiences.
For all these things, we believe Jordan would be proud to recognize Marlisha Kearney as the inaugural recipient of the Jordan M. Roberge Memorial Scholarship.
Click here to learn more about The Forum’s Scholarship Opportunities.