Ida Wilkerson-Morton and L. Kobie Wilkerson

00:03 My name is elkouby Wilkerson the third I am 40 years old. It is November 30th 2016. We are Columbia South Carolina and I am here with my mother. My name is Ida Charmaine Wilkerson Morton and I am 64 years old and is November 30th 2016 and I'm here in Columbia South Carolina with my son.

00:30 All right mom, so I was kind of excited about doing storycorps with you to kind of recording this and so I have prepared a list of questions that I wanted to ask you and so my first question is who do you look up to artmeier?

00:50 Lots of people, you know, lots of people around me.

00:56 Mostly Educators love Educators Cornel West anybody in the education field just love them cuz they they make a difference in people's life Maya Angelou smart of my heroes opens a hero Michelle Obama is a hero, you know, so lots of people I look up to, you know people in the church Kingdom. I look up to Bishops the rails and my own Pastor. I just took out the Charles testing if you know who have been fighting the fight for a long time.

01:33 So, you know, he's I'm 40 years old. So I've been here for 40 and you've been here for 64 and so there's been a kind of you know, as you live life. You have different sessions are. So seasons of people call them. So what do you think? You've been most satisfied in your life?

02:00 I say when I got my first degree 1978 taking you in and your system Elijah the class with me, you know, and you always sit at my feet and play why I did my lessons and things like that. And then when I graduated that that June it was just, you know a whole lot a lot of time a spinning with you guys in a and classrooms and people would always say that they just sit so well and they just listen I said they've been taught to do that to graduate from college in my family. And that was that was good to have have your grand maternal grandmother there and paternal grandmother and I was just like everybody was there and your great-grandmother grandma grandma.

03:00 Smoot was there to know what's up. It was a great great celebration most satisfying so you have recently retired after being an educator for like 33 years vegetation. And so you did a lot of things in that time. So

03:23 I have a question what project are accomplishments do you consider to be? Probably the most significant in your career.

03:37 I think the

03:40 Time I worked at Academy World languages the time that I took children on homestays to Japan. That was that was that was phenomenal most most Japanese didn't say black people in that role and so many taking the kids over there. I took two groups of kids from Academy of world languages over for home-space. And so that was that was phenomenal and it was fun and then 9/11 happen and then no more no more no more homestays cuz we were going to Morocco that year. I was going to be traveling with the kids who was studying Arabic so that would have been phenomenal but pretty much those homes. They stopped after that.

04:28 So we grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio.

04:34 And you've had a chance to try to travel a little bit. So you you know been to Japan and and Africa and a couple other places and Chapel funeral loans around us quite a bit.

04:49 How would you describe going up in Cincy?

04:58 Segregated pretty much

05:03 The

05:05 Communities of 52 of them have their own little little while communities culturally-based pretty much but yet accessible to accessible to a lot of things they are some some communities people never leave them at work did not open school setting South Avondale Elementary in in the heart of Avondale and some of those kids never leave those three blocks. And so but the joy was teaching them that there's a world outside these three blocks and that was

05:48 What heart but yet enjoyable.

05:55 So, you know storycorps goes well, you know, which is a lot of people and so if you had a microphone and could speak a mess the world, but you have a microphone right now. If you just pick up message to the world, what would that message be? What would you say to the world?

06:19 Be yourself. Love people regardless who they are and what they believe make a difference wherever you are as important to make things better.

06:34 English of saba gave us that during the struggle to be self-sufficient to help others to make a difference be faithful and whatever you do.

06:50 Yeah, so damn good. It's the seven principles of Kwanzaa order. Do you know talking about that loving yourself and making a difference, you know and then so I am your son. Of course. I am the oldest boy, but there's four of us. And so I have my system Elijah Wilkerson and the Jerry Morton and David Morton. So it goes girl boy boy girl.

07:19 And there's a big span. There's like 18 years between oldest and the youngest cuz you said that you didn't want there to be any competition for people that have their own lap time. Now Spaceman come to the person they need to be and not be feeling and friendship are cut. So what is it that you most want for your kids? What is it that you most want for us?

07:54 To be self-sufficient to be leaders wherever they are to make a difference between makers and that's that's important be a changemaker Wherever You Are.

08:15 And I'm not to be in a notoriety setting per se but make a difference wherever you at, you know, if it just you know in the block that you live on but to be able to help people and people won't understand that you you will help them if they need house.

08:40 Next question is what do you want to be remembered for?

08:53 That I was considerate of others.

08:58 Whoever they are wherever they work. I listen to what people have to say. I'm not judgmental and I want the best for whoever I'm having a conversation with or whatever. They dealing with that. I want them to be able to do that bass with whatever goals and objectives step setup.

09:22 Okay, so I sent the text out to do for J and Nicki told them. I was going to be interviewing you for storycorps. And so I asked them to send the question. And so Nikki sent this question. Of course, you know how this is going to be a big sister. She said how do you feel that? Today's generation has continued to work from your generation.

09:59 Are not well, I don't think we

10:04 I see a lot of community-based thing. I don't see people coming together like we would do, you know, if someone was struggling or you know had a problem or whatever the case maybe I don't see the tenacity that my generation had regardless of whatever was going on being knocked down or whatever. You got back up and you push forward. I see a lot of things within the black community that we didn't have to contend with no talk of suicide. No talk of killing one another because you disagree with grey would agree with what they have to say. This black on black crime business is just deplorable is unbelievable what we're doing to ourselves and that sort of breaks my heart.

11:05 So what do you think we can do as a generation to make sure that we don't kind of revert back to a day where we even had a very less privileged or less rights. What are you are you are you guys going to have to care about one another and not be so self-absorbed and it's the the group as a whole that needs to push for sure whether individuals who are going to push forward but as a whole what are you doing for? The people that were left behind you know, what are you doing to show them that, you know, give them a hand up and what's going on been going up in Cincinnati? It was tons of black businesses left and right, you know or even Banks soon whatever and all of that is gone, you know, because we didn't support them like they need to be supported.

12:02 And that that breaks my heart to butts me sad cuz I know you guys think better faster than we did but there's no putting down a foundation and staying in one place course technology and all of that changed a lot of things but I don't see that people are rude it and in a community per se like we were think that is a little different for us because

12:34 I think that.

12:36 The opportunity for opportunity outside of the village, you know in Cincinnati then from Cincinnati to Kentucky and then from Kentucky to Kansas and then Kansas to Atlanta Georgia now from Atlanta, Georgia to Columbia South Carolina, you know kind of seeking to figure out the roots and where you want to stay and then you know, I'm not even sure if we'll stay here. So I think that kind of causes

13:20 The ability to be able to dig down deep. You don't know where you're going to end up being so that kind of presents. You know, I miss you, but you know the thing to we reaching back to the things that help support us, you know, your college is your high schools and stuff, you know, we need to donate and build them up.

13:59 We're talking more about that. Now even doing stuff with the undergraduate and high school. Look at that want you're going to want to Hills High School which is you know, always in the top 50 high schools in the country and sold understanding to reach back and see what they are doing and being impacted alone I have on that is is tremendous and so kind of excited about doing some more work with that. But even an undergraduate University the stuff that we're doing and getting ready to start, you know, I kind of own endowment there. I think that's important but

14:34 SSO

14:36 Community and you don't being an educator like, you know, you are in seeking to make that change.

14:45 You know, that's I think that's the real work we have that's that's the real work. We had change people's mindset. So they know that they can do whatever they put their mind to you know, and not be stuck, you know in the situations that they find themselves saying it's always a way out.

15:06 And you have to be able to understand you the one who can get you out of that, but you have to think about it, you know and ask for help and I see my see you guys asking for help for much. Y'all just trudge through as a people issue, you know the work that I do is in.

15:26 Professional development in I mean but it's it's really the infusion of personal development is professional development. So, you know working with teachers but not really trying to get you to be a better teacher but just trying to get you to be better person. Cuz my philosophy is that you bring all of who you are everything that you do and so if I can just get you to be better than you'll be a better husband or better wife or better on better friends than you know, of course that affluent will make you a better teacher.

15:58 But that bailing I think issue that I deal with this that people really want better. They did. I believe that but I think that people aren't always willing to do that. They don't they don't want to put forth the effort to get to where they think they might want to be where the case maybe but you can get better but you have to want it different then you have to do something different but people want something different but they want to continue to do the same and then complain so

16:48 Then that the getting better is actually in the doing and that's the work part that people and that's the work that I do is in shifting of people's will vary. So I always say it's never a matter of can or can't it's always a matter of will you know, and and when you have to be willing to to do something different and because I cost you something but it's going to cost you something you're going to have to pay for that. And so it's going to cost of time is going to cost you energy is going to cost you after.

17:35 And it's probably going to cost you some other stuff in people don't always want to pay that and so that is the yum.

17:43 That's that's the work of I think of just being human is trying to be the best versions of ourselves, but being willing to

17:54 Getting a space where will we allow that to happen is often time which were fighting against our own self stuck in routines that we don't always think about you know, what what can I do for me? And if I do this for me, what's how's it going to factor out the people around me, but we have to be mindful that whatever you do is going to affect the people around you be a good or bad choices are consequences of our choices. Do you have any questions you want to ask me?

18:33 Okay, you've got the the two girls now I do I have little Alana who is 10 years old and little Araya who is now but 9 days old, but we just had her on the 21st. So what what are you going to do for them to become the little little queens that they're going to be?

18:57 Having kids for me, you know, everybody say has happened kids, you know changes your life and it does but I think having kids for me really.

19:13 Let me know that I was Mortal. I think when I held a Lana.

19:20 So the first time in the hospital

19:26 I looked at her and I realized that one day she's going to be here and I'm not like I held her like I am going to really die one day she's going to be here and I'm not and so for me that really caused me to try to want to live life a little bit more intentionally. So, you know me, I think probably two weeks after she was born only had like a million dollars life insurance on me and you notes savings bonds and college fund set up and all of that stuff. So

20:02 For me. I am really excited about bonding them, you know, really gelling them together and helping them to love each other and care for each other and protect each other and instilling

20:22 Those good things that you put into I sent to them about, you know, really understanding that their choices are what set their future up and then, you know, the consequences and bad consequences and in your choices that you got to make some really excited about helping them to own their life, but I'm also excited about the lessons that they're going to teach Ashley, which is my wife her being an only child, you know, and you know, she found it.

21:01 Kind of strange that you know, when we first got married that me and Nikki talked everyday you no answer, so she wants to stand why you have to talk to your sister everyday. I was like what she's not just my sister like she's my friend to you know me and so I'm excited about what that's going to look like for her. I'm excited about the lessons that Alana and Mariah are going to show her and teach her and and

21:39 I'm done. The things that I have for you no plan for them. And in out the books free read and I'm excited about establishing our own, you know, family rituals in our own habits and ways of being and and really teaching them to kind of love themselves first. Yes, Mom is very important. So I'm a gummy excited about you know, what that's going to look like for them and helping them to be better. I'm really I think I'm excited that I kind of waited till later. I think me being

22:21 The daddy I am and started at 38 as I think would have been tremendously different than the daddy. I would have been at like 25 or even 28 now, you know me and so I'm excited. The universe was gracious enough to allow me to you know, I'm be a daddy at this time and with these two girls and

22:49 Yes, I just kind of really want a lot for them. But more importantly, you know, I just really want to put them in a position that they understand that they grow that their life is their own.

23:03 So

23:06 What are you going to do in terms of?

23:11 Their education

23:13 This is good. So

23:20 You know, I thought I think that you know, we're told to you know, get good grades, you know, go go to college right good grades. Go to college get out of the job, but I think that

23:35 The education that I want for them is a little different, you know, I mean because

23:41 Being an entrepreneur myself and working for myself. I think that

23:48 What I want them to learn is to really be.

23:54 Self-sufficient and I think our job as

23:59 Parents is to help them to see

24:03 What their role is in the world and that I believed that people were sent here as Solutions. I believe that.

24:16 The universe looks at the world atlas of the world and they see a problem and he plants a solution in in somebody's room. And so that's our purpose and so excited to really help them to find out what that is. So

24:34 More important than their education formal. I'm really excited about

24:42 Helping them to learn about themselves and what they are and what they're here for and to look at the world in a way where they can see.

24:57 Problems or issues in feel like that. They have the power to speak to that with the solution to the problem to the Forefront. Right? And so and think about so how do you solve that in whether it's creating something a product or service or whatever so I really want them to look at the world a little differently. I'm not going to school to Nestle to get a job or to work for someone but to be educated so that you can think critically and so that you can process it so that you can analyze and so that you can so that you can

25:45 Not look at it and say oh we have a problem. But look at that and say I can speak to that in the solution. I could see could come from this or that and I think part of being able to do that is making sure that they are.

26:03 Secure The Confident mom was in a school today and talking to

26:12 A curriculum resource teacher, which is a Cochin. I'm coaching some some kindergarten teachers at AT Burnside elementary, and she was too we were talking about

26:26 Some things that they should be doing in class and wouldn't I didn't she said she was speaking about one teacher and she said well, you know, she goes by exactly what you tell her to do when she doesn't steer outside of that vein. And I said, well the reason she doesn't stay outside of that vein doesn't feel comfortable comfortable and there's there's a there's a lack of confidence, right? And so wherever I speak about that because going back wherever there is a lack of confidence, there's a lack of creativity because you don't feel comfortable enough to step outside of that what you already know. And so that's really what I want. Their education to be about is that really the education of themselves giving them to know themselves getting them to be confident in who they are so that they can live in that space of creativity and that they can be what the world needs them to be.

27:26 And in living that space where they can hopefully Inspire others to do the same.

27:31 That's great plans excited. Look forward to being phenomenal women got that question all the time then, you know cuz we had a lot of firsts and they said well, do you want a boy?

27:51 And I said, well I want what the universe wants me to have. You don't mean I think that God gives you what you need and he gives you what he thinks that you can be responsible for and so you know, they like are you going to try another time for that boy? Is that while I'm looking to see what to looks like it they will see with the universe says that you know, I said it whether it's a boy or a girl I think that it's up to every responsible couple to have at least two kids. I think it's I think it's just the responsible thing to do. I think I think I think we have to do that and still happen. If you have to have at least two I think if you are married and you can you know come together and you can have kids at think you should try to have at least two. I think it's so it's only right.

28:46 So, you know, I think but could put them in a position where we are.

28:52 Where they can do no have a successful life, but I want to you know, there's the opportunity to adopt to you know, I think there's a lot of good kids that that need a good home. And so I think that may be a possibility for us to you know to adopt do you know a kid and bring them into until I get home and help them to be you know what they're supposed to be as well. So, you know, I think that's and possibly be an option for us to

29:25 What do that for the baby's what are you going to do for your spiritual upbringing for there where they going to be placed in terms of serving God into wine that into all that into everything that they do. Yeah. I think that

29:47 You know how you know we were raised Apostolic Pentecostal, of course, but

29:57 For me to my spiritual beliefs, I think that

30:02 I just think that God is so big. You know me and I think he's so huge I think.

30:10 I think he's bigger than church. I think he's bigger than a denomination. I think he's I think he's bigger than we can conceive, you know, and I am going to

30:25 Definitely raise them. You know that there is a God, you know, definitely raise them. No understanding. You know that the Bible is Holy scripture, of course.

30:39 And but I just want them to understand that.

30:44 Don't try to put him in a box like you can't like he.

30:50 I think God speaks to us through people. You don't mean he speaks to us through the wind in the trees and you know best cars drive by and birds in the air. I just think that he speaks in to us, you know in our dreams and in our heart and our mind and I think that when people try to box him in and say what God can only speak to you like this.

31:24 And you miss out on all the other times. He's trying to talk to you. You know me now.

31:32 I always tell her this one story when we were at.

31:36 Ed Zion after Bible study one day

31:41 Remember I was standing there and I just think it's so funny when your people get so religious and the lady was like man, she was like I need some gas money. So she said, you know, my car is running out of gas and you know, I'm getting ready to head home and she's like, you know, but the Lord will make away and so so I put on my wallet and Brian pulled out of his wallet and I grabbed $10 and Brian grabbed $10 and we would like here and she was like, no you don't have to do that. You know, the Lord will make a way and I was like you just did he just take it you just made a wagon and where the way like you take this $20 and get you some gas like

32:30 With way, you know me and I think that that is what happens with people so many times did they think the God Is So out here, you know, but God is in each of us and that's how you work. She works two people and sometimes what we don't do is we don't put ourselves in position to receive the help. We don't receive the help and so

32:59 Spiritually raising a line array. I just really want them to be open to the many ways that God can speak to them.

33:11 You know that understanding that it's not about a church, but it's about the kingdom. You know me is not an understanding that.

33:22 It happens not just on Sunday, but on Monday and Tuesday and and it's it is so that's what I really want them to be. I want them to be.

33:39 Comfortable and confident enough in the person that God is making them.

33:46 That they can be who they are.

33:50 Everywhere they go and so understanding that you don't have to have a school self in a home sale in a work selfie is healthy, right? And so you're right and so that is really want I want them to understand this the spirit that is in them.

34:16 Is design food

34:18 Them to be it and all of it everywhere they go and not to feel like they have to be a different versions of himself whenever they go. So what is

34:37 I think

34:40 The Legacy that you want to leave to your grandkids cuz now you have multiple you have to now you have little girls to be themselves to love God love others make a difference.

34:59 I could have friends wherever they are.

35:03 Yeah, I think they're definitely going to get that I think understanding who their mom is and you know, Ashley is

35:15 Definitely

35:18 About making a noise. He's there little energetic self.

35:25 I think that community service part is is going to be think they're going to be well well schooled in that way of being Living Well, I'm glad that you were willing to come and take some time and let me interview you and we can have a conversation with me. I'm glad you asked me appreciate it. Thank you. I love you, Mommy.